(2021, February) | Useful for sharing with PTAs, families, community organizations involved in educational issues, and school leadership staff.

COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 1: Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools comes from the U.S. Department of Education. The 26-page handbook begins with a summary of CDC’s operational strategies and steps for safe school reopening. Then it delves into safe practices for in-person learning, including:

  • masking
  • physical distancing
  • cohorting and podding and staff consideration for physical distancing
  • transportation concerns
  • encouraging families and staff to check for symptoms at home
  • handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • safety considerations for extracurricular and athletic activities
  • supporting ongoing engagement with families, educators, and the school community

The handbook also provides strategies and identifies ways to promote equity for communities of color and people with disabilities/chronic conditions who have borne a disproportionate burden of illness and serious outcomes from COVID-19. It directly supports the education community with implementation guidance, strategies, and considerations to help reopen schools safely.

Access the handbook, Volume 1, at:
https://www2.ed.gov/documents/coronavirus/reopening.pdf