About Us

What Is the Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse?

The U.S. Department of Education launched the Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse (the Clearinghouse) in accordance with Executive Order 14000 Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers. The Clearinghouse is designed to support students, young children, families, teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff as school, early childhood, and campus communities continue to recover from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Clearinghouse is a place to share and highlight best practices and lessons learned submitted by teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, staff, schools, districts, early childhood programs, institutions of higher education, other places providing educational instruction, Technical Assistance Centers, States, and Federal agencies.

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The Clearinghouse includes resources that target the needs of students, young children, families, teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff in

  1. PreK-12 schools
  2. Early childhood education programs
  3. Colleges and universities

It addresses three major topics related to the ongoing needs of school, early childhood, and campus communities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • Safe and Healthy Environments: School, early childhood program, and campus approaches to implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) recommended mitigation strategies and sustaining safe in-person operations. This topic includes recommendations across all grade and age levels.
  • Providing Supports to Students, Young Children, and Families: School, early childhood program, and campus strategies to ensure an equitable recovery from the pandemic by addressing students’ and young children’s and their caregivers’ social, emotional, mental health, developmental, academic, financial, and other needs, including access to food and other basic needs. This topic includes a specific focus on the most vulnerable learners and on ensuring that resources provided by schools, early childhood programs, and campuses address gaps in equity that existed prior to, but have been made worse by, the pandemic and reach students in historically underserved communities.
  • Teacher, Early Childhood Provider, Faculty, and Staff Well-Being, Professional Development, and Supports: School, early childhood program, and campus strategies to address the social, emotional, health, and other needs of teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff.

What does the Clearinghouse offer?

The Clearinghouse offers resources that target the needs of all students and children and their families, including students and children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students from low-income backgrounds, and other underserved students and children, as well as teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff.

  • Best Practice Resources in various multimedia formats to support key stakeholders representing every instructional level, including PreK-12 schools, early childhood education programs, and colleges and universities on topics including safe and healthy environments; providing supports to students, young children, and their families; teacher, early childhood provider, faculty, and staff well-being, professional development, and supports; and equitable support for whole school and campus communities, and various early childhood settings and programs.
  • Federal, State, and Local Resources developed on operational strategies to support schools, early childhood education programs, and campuses with maintaining safe in-person operations and addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, users will find resources to identify and support the needs of all students and young children, and particularly historically disadvantaged students and young children, in accessing high-quality services and education.
  • Technical Assistance (TA) to respond to inquiries, requests for assistance, or submissions of lessons learned and best practices. Clearinghouse TA staff members are available by e-mail at Bestpracticesclearinghouse@ed.gov and via toll-free telephone at 1-833-644-BPCH (2724).
  • Access to Webinars and Events on a diverse set of topics with presentations from experts in the field.