Giving Compass' Take:

• School repairs after hurricane destruction are not covered by insurance and it can often take schools months to financially stabilize after natural disasters.

• Are schools developing comprehensive natural disaster plans that incorporate financing and budget needs? How can local communities help raise funds in areas that are prone to weather disruptions?

• Check out the Giving Compass Disaster Relief and Recovery Magazine.

Several Florida and North Carolina schools are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricanes Florence and Michael and are discovering the high cost of school repair and replacement, some of which is not covered by insurance, Education Week reports.

Situations such as this are reasons schools need a healthy fund balance. That way, they'd have money on hand to stabilize schools after hurricanes and mitigate further damage from mold, as well as to begin initiating repairs while insurance and FEMA payments are processed — an effort that often takes months.

Hurricanes are one of the most devasting disasters district leaders can face, because they impact so many aspects of school life. Initially, districts need to find ways to dry out the school to prevent further damage. Then, they need to initiate repairs, which often take place while funding is uncertain.

Even when a plan is in place, repairs may face delays, as hurricanes typically affect large areas that don't have enough workers and supplies to meet the construction needs. FEMA funds also take months or years to negotiate and get, which can further slow the process.

Aside from the short-term financial aspects, there are other consequences that affect school recovery. Many students are displaced or homeless, causing an increased cost in transporting those students from neighboring counties under the McKinney-Vento Act.

Some students miss weeks of school following a hurricane because of flood waters or structural damage that inhibits need schools to be in sufficient condition. Districts can do nothing to prevent hurricanes from happening, but considering the enormous impacts, they must do everything they can to prepare financially and academically for the storms that might arrive.

Read the full article about effects of hurricane destruction on schools by Amelia Harper at Education Dive