Schumer Seeks Sandy Transportation Reimbursements for Local Schools

In the almost six months since Hurricane Sandy, the Seaford and Wantagh school districts have been saddled with transportation costs for those students displaced by the late October storm.

Now Senator Charles Schumer is calling on the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force to help reimburse local school districts that have seen increased transportation costs for students displaced by the superstorm.

"While it's important for students to get back to their schools, teachers and friends as soon as possible after a major disruption like Sandy, local school districts shouldn't be left responsible for the costs of a national disaster," Schumer said at a Monday press conference at Harding Avenue Elementary School in Lindenhurst.

Over a thousand students across Long Island were displaced by the Oct. 29 superstorm.

Seaford Superintendent of Schools Brian Conboy estimates that the district will incur $150,000 in unanticipated transportation costs from displaced students in the hard-hit Seaford Harbor area. 

"Several of the students also became eligible for free lunch, so the total unanticipated cost could total closer to $170,000 for this year and may stretch into next year for some severely impacted families," Conboy said. "Senator Schumer’s help in getting us full restitution is warmly appreciated. We hope he can take up the cause of the emergency access road at Harbor School with similar vigor." 

Wantagh Assistant Superintendent for Business Dana DiCapua said more than 20 students in the district were displaced by Sandy but many have been able to return to their homes. She did not have an estimate for how much the extra transportation has cost the district. 

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Long Island districts have spent more than $1 million in transportation costs for displaced students. Other districts that have had additional student transportation costs resulting from Sandy include Massapequa, Lindenhurst, Long Beach, Island Park, Baldwin Amityville and Copiague.

Schumer said Congress passed legislation to reduce the impact on local governments, so it makes sense for some of that aid to go to districts to help them transport students affected by the storm.

Otherwise, he said, the burden will be left with local taxpayers, and that could impact the education of the children in affected districts "which aren't rolling in the dough."

The districts' obligation to provide transportation comes from the McKinney Vento Assistance Act, which requires districts to provide transportation to displaced or homeless students within a 50-mile radius.

What Schumer said he's trying to do is get some reimbursement for districts through the Sandy Task Force to help them with the transportation costs of those students specifically displaced by the superstorm.

The senator said he's written Shaun Donovan - secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development who's also chair of the Sandy Task Force - asking for help with this issue.

In his letter the senator said, "While I understand the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has indicated they'll be unable to reimburse school districts for this expense, I ask you work with my staff to identify assistance opportunities for districts to help fund this service."

He noted the Sandy relief package that was passed "was flexible in nature in order to address rising concerns such as this one."

"The money is there to do this," Senator Schumer said. "We're putting this together in the next few months."

Once it is, then there'd also be ways districts like Seadord and Wantagh would be able to apply for the Sandy supplemental money. As of right now there weren't any specifics about exactly when this would happen or how to apply.

When asked if districts  would be able to be helped now as they put together their school budgets for 2013-14, the senator said they "can probably budget for this money for next year" as the goal is to get this money to the districts as soon as possible.