(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017
(Sec. 2) This bill provides educational relief in areas for which the President has declared a major disaster or an emergency as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria or Tropical Storms Harvey, Irma, or Maria (affected areas).
In the case of an institution of higher education (IHE) that is located in an affected area, the Department of Education (ED) must waive matching fund requirements under the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG) or the Federal Work-Study Program (FWS). In the case of an IHE that is not located in an affected area but has enrolled or accepted for enrollment students affected by the hurricanes or tropical storms, ED may waive the matching fund requirements under FSEOG or FWS. The waivers apply to funds made available for award years 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.
Affected students are individuals who have applied for or received student financial assistance under title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and: (1) who were enrolled or accepted for enrollment on August 25, 2017, at IHEs that are located in affected areas; (2) who are dependent students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment on that date at IHEs that are not located in affected areas, but whose parents resided or were employed on that date in affected areas; or (3) who suffered direct economic hardship as a direct result of the hurricanes or tropical storms.
If IHEs return FSEOG and FWS funds that were allocated for award year 2016-2017, then ED must reallocate the remaining funds to affected IHEs.
The bill extends until September 30, 2018, the deadline for ED to obligate funds for FSEOG or FWS.
The bill terminates ED's waiver authority on September 30, 2018.
(Sec. 3) In addition, the bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require Project School Emergency Response to Violence grants to be distributed to private schools on an equitable basis.