Gov. Perry Announces Reimbursements for Schools Rebuilding from Hurricane Ike

BEAUMONT - Gov. Rick Perry has announced the state has authorized more than $62.8 million to reimburse school districts for the cost of repairs incurred as a result of Hurricane Ike. The reimbursements are part of House Bill 4102, which provides relief for school districts impacted by disasters or other emergencies.

In addition to funding for Hurricane Ike losses, HB 4102 reimburses school districts that lost funding from closures due to the H1N1 outbreak last spring, or incurred damage during the 2008 hurricane season for the cost of repairs that are not recovered through insurance or federal payments. The Texas Education Agency will oversee distribution of the funds.

Additionally, the bill ensures that districts that experience a decline in average daily attendance due to a disaster continue to receive funding for two years following the disaster. Funding for individual schools is determined based on a school's average daily attendance, which had previously not been accounted for during times of disaster, leaving school districts to cope with both costly repairs and lower funding after a disaster.

The bill also contains mechanisms to help school districts recover from the effect of lower property values on school finance formulas.