In their wake, natural disasters are leaving behind unprecedented destruction in parts of the U.S. you would least expect, as illustrated last year when Hurricane Helene unleashed deadly floods and winds in the mountains of North Carolina. While schools have reopened, the storm's broader impact on education is still evident — and western North Carolina isn't alone in that struggle.
The Associated Press, in collaboration with CalMatters, Honolulu Civil Beat, Blue Ridge Public Radio and Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, chronicled some of the widespread and long-lasting impacts natural disasters have on students, families and teachers.
This collaborative project gathered reporting on the aftermath of wildfires in California and Hawaii, Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and repeated natural disasters in Puerto Rico. Our reporting found that the road to recovery is long and arduous, especially for already struggling schools that are forced to rebuild. The impacts are just as difficult for students who are sometimes thrust into homelessness while also grappling with learning loss and poor mental health.
Local versions delving into the themes discussed in this project are possible around the country. Even isolated tornadoes or flooding from a severe thunderstorm present an opportunity to explore these topics. Below, we have included what to look into after a natural disaster, how to find sources and data to pursue. While some data topics are confined to a singular state in the project, they can be replicated in your state. We also have a Google Drive folder with data on weather-related school closures and student homelessness, data visualizations and public records templates.