SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced emergency assistance is available to students, schools, and the communities affected by the wildfires in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Orange counties.

"I am directing all divisions within the California Department of Education to work closely with our school districts to offer whatever assistance they need to keep students safe, get school facilities open, and help administrators cut through red tape as they help communities ravaged by the wildfires,” said O'Connell. "Schools will not lose funding if their facilities are closed by wildfires or used as emergency shelters. Also, schools may be reimbursed if their school lunches are used to feed evacuees.”

As of today, 59 schools in Southern California were closed, affecting 47,592 students, and 2,403 staff. Most of the schools will reopen on Tuesday. There are no reports of school-related injuries or deaths as a result of the wildfires.

The heaviest damage to a school facility was in the Brea Olinda Unified School District in Orange County as a result of the "Freeway Complex Fire” that originated in Riverside County. Brea Canyon High School sustained significant damage to six classrooms, landscaping, and irrigation systems. The school also sustained minor damage to both baseball fields, a storage container in the pool area, and a security residence. Repairs are currently underway. All schools in the Brea Olinda Unified School District were closed today, affecting nine schools with a total student enrollment of 6,033 students and a staff of 313.

Also in Orange County, all 35 schools in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District were closed today, affecting 26,243 students and 1,326 staff members. Those schools are also expected to reopen on Tuesday.

In Los Angeles County, all 15 schools in the Walnut Valley Unified School District were closed, affecting 15,316 students and 764 staff members. The schools did not sustain any damage as a result of the "Sayre Fire,” but were closed because some of the facilities were used as evacuation centers. Those schools are expected to reopen on Tuesday.

In Santa Barbara County, all schools reopened today following the worst of the "Tea Fire” on Friday. Schools were advised to curtail the students' outdoor activities because of smoke and particulates.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger over the weekend declared states of emergency for the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Riverside, and San Bernardino. This may pave the way for the state to request that President Bush declare the same counties disaster areas, thereby authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide federal funding assistance.

School facilities will not lose Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding if they are used as community shelters or forced to close because of the wildfires. The California Education Code allows the State Superintendent to authorize ADA credit for the days that schools are closed. Districts may also receive ADA credit for all purposes and instructional time credit for the days and minutes lost due to an emergency closure. ADA credit and approval of school closures may be obtained by submitting three copies of Form J-13A. To download the form, please visit Form J-13A (DOC; 46KB; 6pp.).

Following the wildfires in 2007, Assembly Bill 1893 was passed to provide fiscal relief to schools impacted by the fires. Education Code Section 52124.1 allows schools to claim kindergarten through grade three Class Size Reduction (CSR) program funding based on enrollment counts before the October 2007 fires, if the school district or charter school submits a Form J-13A and certifies that it suffered a loss of enrollment in K-3 CSR classes. Also, Education Code Section 52124.1 allows schools to claim K-3 CSR program funding for classes that exceeded 20.44 pupils, among other qualifications.

Since 1990, the California Education Code allowed school districts that participated in the National School Lunch Program the ability to obtain reimbursement for losses sustained during a state or federally proclaimed disaster. This recognizes that schools have fixed costs even when forced to close in the event of a disaster. Schools may serve meals at no charge to students rendered homeless, and can be designated as community feeding sites. For more information on school meal disaster relief policies, please visit Disaster Relief Guidelines - School Nutrition.