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Federal Emergency Management Agency Provides Millions for Quick Start Schools in New Orleans

Release Date: May 16, 2009 Release Number: 1603-852

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NEW ORLEANS - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and the Recovery School District (RSD) announced more than $147.8 million in public assistance grants for four RSD Quick Start Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana - L.B. Landry High School, Langston Hughes Elementary School, Lake Area High School and Andrew H. Wilson Elementary School.

"The recovery of the public school system in Orleans Parish is an ongoing process and involves not only the RSD and FEMA, but the cooperation of the LRA, the Louisiana Department of Education and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)," said FEMA Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office Acting Director Tony Russell. "FEMA is proud to have such steadfast partners to turn a visionaryea and an innovative funding solution into a reality for thousands of school children."

These federal dollars, made available through FEMA's Public Assistance Program, provide the necessary funding to help support the RSD's Quick Start Initiative, which was launched following Hurricane Katrina to jumpstart school construction in New Orleans. The Quick-Start initiative, announced in 2007, is part of the RSD Master Plan to implement comprehensive repair and replacement projects for the 2009-10 school year.

Recovery School District Superintendent Paul Vallas said, "The RSD is building more schools in New Orleans than ever before, and both FEMA and the LRA have played a huge role. We needed creative thinking to make this unprecedented rebuilding effort possible, and because of their efforts, we will be able to access funding we need to provide this city with world schools."

"We have worked with state Superintendent Paul Pastorek, RSD Superintendent Paul Vallas and FEMA on streamlining this process for the last three years, but had it not been for Sen. Mary Landrieu's tenacity and vision, the process would still be mired," said Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. "A lot of credit also goes to Tony Russell and his team's efforts to bring this project to fruition. He understands the need to move quickly to help put vital pieces of the city's recovery in place."

The nearly $150 million is a consolidation of over 100 separate FEMA grants for storm-damaged RSD facilities throughout Orleans Parish. By providing the sum as one grant, FEMA is simplifying the reimbursement process for RSD, making it easier to facilitate the opening of the following four schools:

  • The new Langston Hughes Elementary School, scheduled to open in August 2009, will be a 96,000-square-foot building that will include technology-ready rooms, special education areas, a media center, full cafeteria and kitchen, and gymnasium.
  • The Andrew H. Wilson Elementary School project includes the complete restoration of the existing historic building and new construction that will include a gymnasium, cafeteria and additional art and music room space. Wilson is expected to be completed by late fall 2009.
  • The new Greater Gentilly High School will be the first new, state-of-the-art public high school built in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina and it will have a technology focus. Construction will be completed in late 2009.
  • The new L.B. Landry High school will be a college preparatory high school that will give students the option to concentrate on three career themes, one of which is health sciences. It will have a total of 52 teaching stations, including career technology labs; visual and performing arts labs and rooms for core curriculum; rehearsal spaces for dance, choir, band and art; and a black box theater. Landry's scheduled opening is August 2010.

To date, FEMA has approved more than $649 million for the restoration of public schools in Orleans Parish. When FEMA approves projects through the Public Assistance Program, the funds are transferred to a federal Smartlink account. Once the funds have reached this account, the applicant can request reimbursement from GOHSEP for eligible work completed. Obligated funds may change over time as the project worksheet is a living grant that is often adjusted as bids come in and scope of work is aligned.

The Public Assistance Program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations' buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.