The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Louisiana's Department of Education a grant up to $1.5 million to support education-related services in school districts hit the hardest by last month's flood.

The grant, titled the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grant, was awarded by the department's Office of Safe and Healthy Students will support the education-related services for six months.

"The flooding in Louisiana has devastated school buildings and displaced students, teachers and other school personnel,"U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., said."This will support the state's recovery efforts as it works to restore the learning environment for students across the state," King said.

King made the announcement during his "Opportunity Across America" back-to-school bus tour on Friday while in Baton Rouge, where he met students and staff who were impacted by the flood.

Project SERV provides funding for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education that have experienced a significant violent or traumatic event and in need of resources.

The Louisiana Department of Education will identify school districts and schools that were severely impacted. The department will use funds to provide education-related services where the learning environment has been disrupted due to the severe effects of the storm. Services may include mental-health assessments, leasing of space to substitute for damaged buildings, emergency transportation and overtime pay for teachers and staff.