H.R. 7262: Restarting Education After Disasters Act

This bill, titled the Restarting Education After Disasters Act, aims to provide financial assistance to educational agencies and non-public schools in areas affected by major disasters or emergencies. It enables the Secretary of Education to make payments to State educational agencies, which can then distribute these funds where needed. Here are the key components of the bill:

Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations

The Secretary of Education is authorized to make payments to State educational agencies to assist local educational agencies and non-public schools in regions declared to have faced a covered disaster or emergency. The amount of assistance will consider:

• The number of students enrolled in schools that were closed due to the disaster.
• Priority will be given to schools that have been closed for 30 days or more.

Key Considerations for Assistance

When a State educational agency allocates funds, it will assess:

• The number of school-aged children served by the affected local educational agency or non-public school in the preceding academic year.
• The severity of the disaster's impact on each affected school and the specific needs of those schools.

Application Process

Local educational agencies or non-public schools that seek assistance must submit an application to the State educational agency, which may require specific information to expedite the process.

Use of Funds

Funds received by local educational agencies or non-public schools can be utilized for various purposes, including:

• Recovering student and staffing data and other electronic information.
• Replacing information systems, including hardware and software for educational purposes.
• Covering reasonable transportation costs associated with educational operations.
• Renting mobile educational units and space for educational activities.
• Replacing instructional materials and equipment, including textbooks.
• Developing instructional plans and maintaining support services.
• Minor repairs and renovations of educational facilities.

However, funds cannot be used for construction or major renovation projects, and services must be secular, neutral, and non-ideological.

Equity Requirements

Educational services provided to non-public school students must be equitable to those provided to public school students, ensuring timely delivery of assistance.

Collaboration with Other Funds

The funds from this bill are meant to supplement, not replace, any federal or state disaster assistance already available to educational institutions. However, local educational agencies or non-public schools can apply for funds even if they expect to receive other benefits, as long as they have not received them by the time of the application.

Assistance to Non-Public Schools

A portion of the funds for non-public schools will be based on their student population relative to the overall student population in both public and non-public schools. Non-public schools must utilize these funds for services or assistance, and if funds remain unallocated after 120 days post-enactment, they may be redirected to support local educational agencies.

Funding Authorization

The bill authorizes appropriations of $200 million each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 to support the efforts outlined.

Definitions

The bill defines key terms such as 'covered disaster or emergency,' aligning with disaster relief standards and specifying what constitutes a non-public school.

Relevant Companies

• EDU - This company, which operates educational institutions, may experience changes in operations or requirements based on the distribution of federal assistance to education agencies.
• PRTS - A provider of educational products and services could find increased demand for educational materials as funds are allocated for the recovery and support of educational resources following disasters.