Preparing for the Next Natural Disaster: Understanding How Hurricanes Affect Educators and Schooling

After a natural disaster hits, schools often focus on a recovery plan that meets the immediate needs of students. Unfortunately, teachers’ needs are not prioritized, leaving them to address personal and professional disruptions on their own. We studied 20 school districts in North Carolina and Texas that were affected by Hurricanes Matthew and Harvey. We found that after a hurricane, teachers’ experience disruptions in the form of personal damage, damages at school, disruption to the school calendar, and disruption to the class routine. We recommend supporting teachers’ physical, social emotional, and classroom needs to assist and expedite recovery.