United States Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has today announced the availability of an additional thirty million dollars in education funds—This is in addition to the two hundred million dollars appropriated by Congress—to help and assist institutions of higher education that have been directly effected by hurricanes Rita and Katrina, as well as other universities and colleges around the nation that enrolled displaced students.

The $30 million is unspent federal financial aid funding that is being redirected to assist the hurricane-affected schools. Secretary Spellings made the announcement following a meeting at Tulane University with presidents and students of 8 New Orleans-area universities and colleges.

"Colleges and Universities are a vital component in the rebuilding of New Orleans," Spellings said. "We know that a lot of  work still has to be done and we stand ready to help the colleges, colleges and other postsecondary schools that have been deeply affected by the hurricanes, as well as those schools that rallied to their aid and took in students in the spirit of cooperation."