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Florida Schools Receive $95.8 Million For Enrolling Hurricane-Displaced Students

Florida has received $95.8 million in federal funding to support school districts that enrolled displaced students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Orange County Public Schools, which enrolled roughly 4,000 displaced students, will receive more than $12 million, the most of any county in Florida.

Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy led the bipartisan initiative to secure the funding.

She said the rapid influx of new students created issues for Florida Schools.

“We read reports and we heard from our school districts that while these schools were proud to take in their fellow Americans from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, it was putting a real strain on their resources,” said Murphy.

Florida congressional representatives Carlos Curbelo (R), Darren Soto (D), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R), Frederica Wilson (D), Alcee Hastings (D), Al Lawson (D), Kathy Castor (D), Lois Frankel (D), and Val Demings (D) co-signed the initiative.

Murphy says there will be an additional $75 million in federal funding for colleges nationwide which enrolled displaced students.

The University of Central Florida is set to receive nearly $2 million.