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Our top priority in the coming months must be to work together to continue to safely reopen all schools for in-person learning. The data, and daily experience, show our children need us to find a way to take this step. I know States, districts, communities, educators, and families have performed heroically under these difficult circumstances, taking steps toward reopening and supporting students wherever they are learning.
Our role at the Department is to provide guidance and directions on how to reopen safely and equitably. We know the best ideas start with you; together, we can support one another on the safe reopening of our schools, while sharing the lessons learned from this past year. The Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse provides resources for communities, schools, educators, and families as we work together to continue to reopen our schools for in-person learning and support the needs of all students, particularly historically underserved students and those who have been impacted greatest by the pandemic.
Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D., Secretary of Education
Learn about school, early childhood program, and campus approaches to implementing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as other strategies for preparing for and sustaining safe in-person operations.
Learn how to support the social, emotional, mental health, academic, developmental, and basic needs of all learners, including access to food and other basic needs, with a specific focus on the most vulnerable learners and ensuring that resources provided by schools and campuses will be able to connect with and meet the needs of those disconnected from learning and those whose communities have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Learn how to better address the well-being and professional needs of teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff, including strategies to address their social, emotional, health, and other needs. Teachers, early childhood education providers, faculty, staff, schools, districts, institutions of higher education, other places of educational instruction, and States may use these lessons learned, best practices, and Federal resources to create plans of action. They may also help enhance efforts to provide professional development to teachers, faculty, and staff returning to schools.
The Boys & Girls Club of Malibu has created the “Empowered Voices” learning course focused on students’ social and emotional needs. The course allows students to engage with others regarding their feelings and self-identity and to build a better understanding of their individual experiences. Click here to learn more.
Arkansas Secretary of Education Johnny Key shares Arkansas’ plan to support students through summer learning plans and other important supports to ensure that students, teachers, and staff come back for face-to-face instruction in the fall ready to learn. Click here to learn more.
Secretary Cardona speaks with Teacher of the Year Juliana Urtbuey on the importance of engaging families in this episode of Conversations with Cardona.
Lessons from the Field Webinar Series
The series features lessons learned and best practices from teachers, faculty, and school staff, describing approaches to operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Education has hosted several webinars featuring staff from schools, centers, and campuses around the country sharing information about reopening safely and addressing the needs of all students.
Key Principles for Expanding Learning to Support Student Re-Engagement
The Afterschool Alliance shares why expanded learning programs are essential for COVID-19 recovery.
The Afterschool Alliance developed a resource to support summer and afterschool enrichment activities to help address the impacts of lost instructional time.
Summer Learning and Enrichment Collaborative
The series of virtual learning offerings provides capacity building for school districts and partners in all 50 states and territories.
ED’s Summer Learning and Enrichment Collaborative brings together state and local leaders working alongside key stakeholders to design evidence-based summer programs to address student academic, social, and emotional needs, especially for underserved students and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
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