The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is requesting $166 million in funding from the General Assembly to support schools impacted by Hurricane Helene.

DPI outlined a range of needs, including financial and operational support, to help school districts recover from the storm’s devastation.

The most significant funding request is $150 million to cover the costs of building, equipment, and technology losses for items not covered by insurance. Based on current estimates of the damage, the funds would go toward repairs and renovations, as similarly provided during Hurricane Florence. An additional $16 million is requested to ensure school nutrition staff in the affected areas are compensated for instructional days missed due to the hurricane.

Alongside funding asks, DPI is seeking legislative flexibility to address the unique challenges posed by the disaster. They have requested calendar flexibility to allow schools to make up for missed instructional days or, alternatively, to count up to 20 days as completed. They also seek remote instruction flexibility, asking for an extension beyond the current limit of 15 remote instruction days.

North Carolina Superintendent Catherine Truitt said that DPI presented its funding requests to the legislature last Thursday. On Friday, lawmakers said they plan to vote on a disaster relief package for areas of the state impacted by Tropical Storm Helene next week. The General Assembly convenes on Wednesday for a one-day session.

At least five WNC school districts, including Asheville, Avery, Buncombe, Madison, and Mitchell Counties, are closed indefinitely or have no public timeframe for reopening.

Over the weekend, Asheville Middle School was used as a water and food distribution center.