North Carolina schools and colleges will receive $102 million from Helene’s second relief bill | WFAE 90.7

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed the state’s second relief package for Helene on Friday. The $604 million bill includes funding to help schools and colleges rebuild after the storm.

The bill would provide $65 million to the state Department of Public Instruction. Of that, $50 million will go to help fund repairs and renovations needed because of the storm.

The remaining $15 million will be split evenly between replacing lost technology, funding lost school food supplies through the National School Meals Program, and supporting mental health services for students and staff.

DPI has had this happen before required $150 million for capital repairs, food supplies and technology losses. On X, formerly known as Twitter, Superintendent Catherine Truitt said she was “grateful” for the bill but hoped additional funding for summer learning would be included in future legislation.

The bill gives public schools an additional 20 days of calendar flexibility and gives the state superintendent the ability to approve additional time in extreme circumstances.

Universities will also benefit from the amendment to the Act. The North Carolina Community College system will receive nearly $17 million and the University of North Carolina system will receive $20 million. These funds will be used for emergency grants designed to help students pay for tuition, fees and other emergency expenses. It also provides millions of dollars in scholarship funding for the upcoming spring semester.