PreK-12 Schools

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling for countless students, causing extended building closures and fully remote or hybrid learning environments, requiring educators, administrators, staff, and students to adjust the ways they teach, learn, and participate in PreK-12 education. Elementary schools through high schools — regardless of student makeup or geographical location — have all worked tirelessly to ensure that students have the tools, resources, and necessities to succeed during these challenging times. Now, as schools continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, educators and school staff must work in collaboration with community partners to continually identify and meet student safety, social, emotional, physical and mental health, academic, financial, and other needs. This work is important and ongoing, particularly for students from historically underserved communities, and it is crucial for all students’ academic and social emotional development to address gaps that existed but have been made worse by the pandemic.

The resources on this page offer information for supporting students; maintaining safe and healthy environments; and helping to ensure teacher and staff well-being, professional development, and supports. As we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on specific communities, these resources contain a specific focus on supporting the students furthest from opportunity and who have been most negatively impacted by the pandemic. Teachers, faculty, staff, schools, districts, other places of educational instruction, and States may use these best practices and lessons learned to inform their strategies for responding to student and family needs throughout the ongoing pandemic recovery.