FEATURED Resources
Return to School Roadmap: Fact Sheet
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education (2021)
A fact sheet for schools, families, and communities on the Return to School Roadmap, reviewing the three “Landmark” priorities, and elevating schools and districts that are addressing each in effective ways.
Return to School Roadmap: Guide
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education (2021)
A guide for schools and districts outlining what schools can do to protect the health and safety of students, including increasing access to vaccinations and steps for implementing the CDC’s recently updated K-12 school guidance.
Return to School Roadmap: Checklist
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education (2021)
A checklist that parents can use to prepare themselves and their children for a safe return to in-person learning this fall, leading with vaccinating eligible children and masking up if students are not yet vaccinated.
Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education
This site was developed by ed tech companies, nonprofit organizations, and Federal agencies to ensure access to the tools necessary to facilitate or expand online learning. The site includes more than 400 products and services for every grade and multiple content areas. Most, but not all, of the resources are free. Even with the use of filters, many searches return 50-100 results. This can make the website difficult to navigate. Educators may need to spend a lot of time understanding which sources meet their needs. For grades PK-12.
Supporting Multilingual Learners (MLLs)/English Language Learners (ELLs) during the COVID-19 Shutdown
Source/Credit: TNTP (2020)
The recommendations in this resource offer general guidance on what to consider as you determine how to best continue your students’ language and literacy development during disruptions.
COVID-19 and Homelessness: Strategies for Schools, Early Learning Programs, and Higher Education Institutions
Source/Credit: School House Connection (2020)
As COVID-19 disrupts education, services and life across the country, children and youth experiencing homelessness are exceptionally vulnerable. This page offers resources to help meet their needs as we respond to this global crisis.
COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education (2021)
The Handbook focuses on research-based strategies to address the social, emotional, mental-health, and academic impacts of the pandemic on students, educators, and staff, such as how to address any potential anxiety or depression some may face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly a year of remote learning.
COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 1: Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education (2021)
The Handbook provides educators and staff with practical examples, roadmaps, and tools to implement the CDC’s K-12 operational strategy for in-person learning, including the recommended five key mitigation measures (universal and correct use of masks; physical distancing; handwashing and respiratory etiquette; maintaining clean and healthy facilities, including through ventilation; and contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine).
Returning to School: A Toolkit for Principals
Source/Credit: National Comprehensive Center, 2020
One way or another, we are returning to school. We may be in classrooms, or at home, or both. But it will be our school, and it will be different from when we left. One thing will be the same, however, our principal will be looking out for everyone—students, families, teachers, staff. This toolkit is for the principal and the team the principal assembles to help everyone return to school, whatever that may look like. Suggested actions, recommended resources, quick tip sheets—the toolkit is a handy computer desktop companion for helping people with Change, Communication, Collaboration, and Care in the time of COVID.
Assessing Socioemotional Needs: Return-To-School Surveys for Teachers, School Counselors, Parents, and Students
Source/Credit: National Comprehensive Center, 2020
As schools prepare to reopen, district and school leaders must understand the socioemotional needs of the school community in order to plan for a safe, supportive, and equitable learning environment. These four surveys are designed to get feedback from educators, students, caregivers, and school counselors about their experience with online learning/teaching during COVID-19 related school closures. The surveys ask about concerns over school reopening, communication from school/districts, mixed modes of learning (in-person and virtual), readiness to learn, readiness to support students, and the training and resources needed. The surveys each take ~ 10-15 minutes to complete, and contain closed- and open-ended questions that can generate summary scores as well as qualitative responses that can be used in the planning process.
Virtual Realities: Equity Considerations for Online & Distance Learning
Source/Credit: Region III MIdwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center
In this issue of Equity Dispatch, Virtual Realities: Equity Considerations for Online & Distance Learning the Region III Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center discusses some of the equity implications of online and distance learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue frames for schools the importance of positioning minority students’ and families’ knowledge production and lived experiences as assets in the development and delivery of online/distance learning.
Resources and Strategies to Support Children with Disabilities and their Families During COVID-19
Source/Credit: U.S. Department of Education, 2020
This resource, jointly created by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA),the Office of Head Start (OHS), and the OHS TA National Centers may be helpful when seeking guidance and resources to help leaders, services providers, teachers, support staff, children, and families during this re-opening and continuity of services.
Checklists to Guide Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers
Source/Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the following two checklists for parents, guardians, and caregivers to plan and prepare for their children returning to school. The In-Person Learning Checklist has points to consider including checking your child’s temperature each morning and monitoring your child for signs of illness, keeping your child home if they’ve had close contact to a COVID-19 case, and making sure your child is up-to-date with all recommended vaccines. The Virtual or At-Home Learning Checklist addresses setting up for virtual or at-home learning, planning for virtual at-home learning, and mental health and social-emotional wellbeing considerations.
Newsletter
