After years of recovery efforts and temporary arrangements for students, the Jasper-Troupsburg Central School District has secured $60 million in federal funding to build a new middle and high school at a safer location outside a flood-prone area.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Tuesday that the funding has been approved through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, clearing the way for the district to move forward with plans to replace a school building repeatedly damaged by severe flooding.
The project stems from the impacts of Tropical Storm Fred in 2021 and Tropical Storm Debby in 2024, both of which caused significant flooding at the district’s junior-senior high school building in Steuben County.
According to Schumer’s office, Tropical Storm Fred inundated the school with nearly four feet of water, mud and debris, forcing the building to close and students to relocate. The district has operated without its middle and high school building for several years while pursuing federal assistance and long-term recovery plans.
Under the approved FEMA project, the district will be allowed to relocate and construct a new school building at a nearby site with a significantly lower flood risk.
Schumer said the funding will help create a modern, flood-resilient learning environment and provide a permanent solution for students, teachers and staff who have faced years of disruption.
Superintendent Jason Oliver called the funding approval a major milestone for the district and credited years of advocacy and collaboration among local, state and federal partners.
Oliver also praised Schumer’s office for assisting the district throughout the lengthy federal review process, saying the support helped keep the project moving during periods when progress was uncertain.
The newly announced funding follows earlier federal aid secured for the district’s recovery efforts. After Tropical Storm Fred, FEMA provided more than $5.6 million for emergency protective measures. Following damage caused by Tropical Storm Debby in 2024, the district received nearly $3 million to address flooding impacts, mold remediation, debris removal and other restoration work.
School officials said the latest FEMA commitment moves the district significantly closer to establishing a permanent home for middle and high school students and restoring a central gathering place for the community.
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