Important Notice

$1.84 Billion Fema Settlement to Rebuild New Orleans Schools

9/7/2010 12:00:00 AM

School officials say the funding will help support construction that is long overdue.

Baton Rouge, La – Almost five years to the date after Hurricane Katrina dealt billions of dollars  in damages to the infrastructure of New Orleans, the Federal Emergency  Management Association officially announced a settlement agreement of more than  $1.84 billion to cover storm-related damages to school buildings in the city. In yet another sign of not only the renewal, but the renaissance, of New Orleans public schools, the settlement will provide for the renovation or new  construction of school buildings in a community that has demonstrated  consistent academic improvement since the 2005 storm.

The money will be allocated to the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB), which is currently overseeing 16 schools in the city, and the state-run Recovery School District (RSD), which is administering 70 schools in New Orleans.   Previously, FEMA had agreed to fund $300 million to support the repair or reconstruction of the city’s schools. While FEMA dedicated $700 million for school construction in New Orleans last year, today’s announcement represents an additional commitment of $1.1  billion from the federal agency.

The official announcement was welcomed by state leaders.  

 “This $1.8 billion lump sum settlement is one of the great victories in our fight for a smarter recovery," U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu said.  "It was a battle worth waging and while we would have liked to have received the money sooner, it was worth the wait.  This lump sum approach is a much wiser investment of taxpayer dollars and should serve as a model for the right way to rebuild communities following a major disaster.  It took a special law to get this done and I was proud to have led that effort with Superintendent Paul Pastorek, Superintendent Paul Vallas and Paul Rainwater.   We are grateful to President Obama and his Administration, particularly Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, for working with us to make a smarter, stronger FEMA."

"When I became State Superintendent of Education in early 2007, FEMA had approved a  total of approximately $300 million to cover building costs for more than 100  New Orleans’ schools after Hurricane Katrina.  Since then, due to the unrelenting determination of the Recovery School District, after nearly five years to the date, we have raised that settlement value by $1.5 billion, for a  total of $1.8 billion.  There were tremendous challenges associated with securing this funding.  But due to the perseverance and commitment of Senator Mary Landrieu, as well as the focused and persistent efforts of key agencies and staff in the Recovery School District, the Louisiana Department of Education,  the Orleans Parish School Board, FEMA, and our contractors, we have arrived at  this point. I am proud of Louisiana, New Orleans, and the federal government today.  And we are especially grateful for the relentless support of Senator Landrieu and Governor Bobby Jindal." 

But that’s not the only change.  While there was a scattering of charter schools in New Orleans prior to Katrina, today the majority of students, nearly 70 percent, attend charter schools.  And the city is earning national and international attention for dramatically raising student achievement.  An analysis shows that if there were still a single school district in Orleans Parish, the District Performance Score would be 70.6 for Orleans Parish, an increase of 13.7 points compared to the 2005 District Performance score of  56.9. These gains came despite a student population that is highly mobile.

Officials of both systems say the funding will help support construction that is long overdue.

"Academically,  children and schools in New Orleans have made significant progress over the  last five years, and the city as a whole should be credited with making public  education a priority even in the face of overwhelming adversity,” RSD  Superintendent Paul Vallas said.  "Securing this funding will allow us to put all children in superior  learning environments. I  want to thank FEMA, the Obama Administration, State Superintendent Paul  Pastorek, and most of all, Senator Mary Landrieu because this day would not  have come about if not for her."

 “On  behalf of the students and parents represented by the Orleans Parish School  Board, I’d like to thank President Obama, Senator Landrieu and FEMA who have  worked tirelessly to provide the resources we need to provide quality learning  environments in our community,”  Orleans Parish Schools Superintendent Darryl Kilbert said.. “Our goal is to use these funds to rebuild our facilities, rebuild our system of neighborhood schools and rebuild our community’s faith in public education.   This settlement will make a significant impact not only in the lives of children in the New Orleans school system, but in our communities as well. “

The Master Plan, which is laid out in six phases, was developed through a planning  process that included a study of population trends and projects, an assessment  of building conditions, locations of currently open schools, and the  identification of existing and potential rebuilding funds. The planning process also included dozens of public meetings with local education groups, community organizations,  school communities and neighborhood groups from the fall of 2007 to the spring  of 2008.  Additionally, the School Facilities Master Plan Oversight Committee, which is made up of representatives from the RSD, OPSB and other New Orleans groups, is charged with ensuring that the construction of schools follows the schedule outlined in the Master Plan.

The implementation of Phase One began in late 2007 with the Quick Start construction program, while Phase Six is scheduled to continue through 2016. As of August 2010, five newly constructed or renovated schools have opened in the city. Over the next 24 months, ten more schools are expected to open in newly built of completely renovated facilities.

The settlement will provide a significant boost to the New Orleans and state economies.  Based on external metrics, the Recovery School Districts estimates the FEMA funded construction projects will create more than 20,000 full-time, one-year jobs directly in the construction industry, and indirectly within the economy. 

 “This funding and our Master Plan will allow us to support a plan for school construction on a scale that has not been seen in New Orleans since John McDonogh’s bequest led to a significant building program beginning in the mid-19th century,” Pastorek concluded. “McDonogh’s 1850 endowment facilitated the construction of more than 30 public schools in New Orleans spanning several decades. Katrina dealt this city and its schools a devastating blow, but this $1.84 billion investment will allow the city to build our schools back stronger and better than before.”

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