Gulf Coast Education Leaders Discuss Challenges, Successes Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Gulf Coast Education Leaders Discuss Challenges, Successes Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Testifying today before the U.S. House Education & the Workforce Committee, education leaders from the Gulf Coast region shared their firsthand perspectives on the challenges faced and successes achieved after last year's devastating hurricanes. Last year, the Committee spearheaded congressional efforts to deliver aid and resources to students returning to the classroom after the tragic storms.

"It's no secret that there have been many bumps in the road during the recovery. Difficulties have been well-documented and constructive criticism has been appropriately delivered - all with the hope and the expectation that we have learned valuable lessons along the way," said Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA). "But at the same time, we must be cautious not to concentrate solely on what went wrong after the hurricanes. Rather, we should balance those lessons with an understanding and an appreciation of what went right. Stories shared by those schools represented before the Committee today are shining examples of what has gone right."

Both the K-12 and the higher education communities were represented on the hearing's panel of witnesses. Among those testifying was Dr. Scott S. Cowen, President of Tulane University in New Orleans. Dr. Cowen underscored the impact of colleges and universities have on the economy of the Gulf Coast region.

"Our colleges and universities also represent a significant part of the New Orleans post-Katrina employment picture," noted Cowen. "Approximately 20,000 jobs are associated with higher education in the city, and most of our universities struggled to continue paying our faculties and staffs during the evacuation and post-Katrina period - both because it was the right thing to do, and because we knew a mass exodus of educated professionals to other areas would deal another devastating blow to not only our own institutions but the city, state and region. The return of our higher education workforces throughout November, December, and January reinvigorated our neighborhoods and businesses. They are key cornerstones to rebuilding our city and region."

Father William F. Maestri, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, urged the Committee to look toward more public and private school cooperation to rebuild quality education in New Orleans and surrounding communities.

"The need to provide quality education and attract an even higher quality of faculty so education can continue forward is a challenge in post-Katrina New Orleans," said Fr. Maestri. "At the same time, we have the opportunity to strengthen the overall educational system and contribute to the common good. We can do this by forging greater partnerships between public and private education. The old divisions that have too long divided us must be laid aside so we can move forward together."

The Committee last year led congressional efforts to provide up to $6,000 per student for students to attend public - including charter - and private schools, as well as resources for colleges and universities, Head Start programs, and child care services.

"Thousands of children across the Gulf Coast have had their lives uprooted and their education interrupted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," said Committee Member and Gulf Coast representative Bobby Jindal (R-LA). "I have introduced, and this committee has supported, legislation to provide more than $2 billion so displaced students can continue to attend school and college students can finish their education. Today's hearing was another step in an ongoing effort my Committee colleagues and I have undertaken to make sure that every displaced student has every opportunity to learn and succeed despite these tragedies. The welfare of these children must remain one of our top priorities."

Committee Member Charles Boustany (R-LA) expressed concerns about the slow pace some schools have seen in getting federal recovery dollars, which have often been bogged down at the state level.

"Today's hearing has highlighted the fact that many local schools have not received one penny in the federal aid we have approved. This is unacceptable," Boustany affirmed. "Our focus must now be directed towards ensuring that these federal dollars make it to our teachers and students who need it the most."

Boustany joined McKeon and others on the Committee last year in supporting an innovative electronic reimbursement proposal that would have enabled parents and schools to bypass government bureaucracy in getting federal aid more quickly. Most point to this type of bureaucracy as the primary reason schools are not getting funds as quickly as expected. Committee Democrats led the opposition to the proposal, and it ultimately was not enacted.

"The bottom line is we need to find ways to ensure bureaucracy remains apart from the education recovery process as much as possible," concluded McKeon. "Some on the other side of the aisle complain about the slow response, but then support adding more government into the equation. That only complicates the problem. The correct approach is to focus on speed, efficiency, and less - not more - layers of bureaucracy."

http://edworkforce.house.gov/press/press109/second/04apr/hurricane042606.htm