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Oregon Schools Open Doors To Katrina Evacuees

Oregon schools are opening their doors to Katrina evacuees and Dona Bolt – my hero, friend, and Oregon’s homeless education coordinator – is leading the effort. The Oregonian reports:

Oregon may be on standby to receive Hurricane Katrina evacuees, but a few area school districts already are helping displaced students enroll.

Six students from elementary to high school started classes in Lake Oswego this week, with more on the way. Three elementary students began in Beaverton, and more plan to attend public and private schools in Portland, Tigard, Gresham and Vancouver -- even in Lake County in south-central Oregon.

"It's been very, very sporadic," said Dona Bolt, Oregon homeless education coordinator.

All of the students are living with extended family. Oregon's mass relocation centers stand empty for now.

Bolt has no hard figures on the number of displaced children in Oregon schools, but she estimates about 25 a week are moving here and will continue to arrive for the next two months.

If Oregon moves off standby and takes survivors at relocation centers, Bolt estimates that 60 percent of the total would be school-age children -- 1,000 total evacuees would require 600 classroom seats for students.

More information on displaced students from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY), National Center on Homeless Education (NCHE), and National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) can be found here.

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