With about 80 percent of Puerto Rico without power and many still waiting in long lines for food, water, and cash, families are leaving the island in droves and landing in Central Florida, which is creating an influx of school-aged children in the area.

  • 345 newly enrolled students in Osceola due to storm displacement
  • 265 of those students came from Puerto Rico
  • School board seeking relief in funding, staffing to help with influx of students

In Osceola County 345 new students have enrolled as a result of the three hurricanes: Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Of that number, 268 students came from Puerto Rico.

Myraida Herrera came to Kissimmee from Puerto Rico with her four children. At 10 years old, Grace is her oldest, she recalls her home getting flooded with about four feet of water.

“The clothes, my house was flooded and the furniture,” she said.

The Herreras were at the Hurricane Maria Service Center in Kissimmee on Monday afternoon for hours, trying to get assistance. One worry on Myraida's mind was quickly getting her kids enrolled in school.

“I feel like my kids got behind in their classes because they couldn't really attend school in Puerto Rico,” Myraida told us in Spanish. “I don't want anymore delays and I want them to start soon so they don’t become affected.”

Osceola County Schools said they will be checking in on hurricane-affected families to make sure they have acclimated to their new settings. Osceola School District Board Member Ricky Booth told us he's written a letter to Gov. Rick Scott seeking relief in funding and staffing due to the influx.

Osceola Schools is also encouraging adults relocating to the area to apply for positions within the district as teachers, support staff, and bus drivers, which will be needed to accommodate the influx.