School Operations

Essential actions to ensure operations support a safe and organized transition back to classroom instruction

Do First

  • Assess and update student enrollment and attendance policies. 
  • Communicate any student enrollment or attendance policy changes with school leaders and families.
  • Liaise with State Education Agency (SEA) to understand and access new resources.
  • Liaise with State Education Agency (SEA) to understand the ability to amend school schedules.
  • Provide guidance and best-practices to school leaders for recruiting, interviewing, and hiring staff remotely.

Do Before School Opens

  • Provide staffing guidance to schools.
    • For example: will there be short-term flexibility with associated resources to hire additional intervention specialists, social workers,  or school counselors).
  • Consult legal counsel to preemptively address liability questions, related concerns, or vendor issues  relative to SARS-CoV-2 and socialize with school leaders.
    • For example: review current technology vendor contracts to understand support, repair, and replace obligations and subsequently contact the vendors to determine flexibility and additional support they can provide.
  • Engage school leaders in a budgeting exercise to help them plan for changing enrollment patterns, new staffing needs, and resource constraints or additional dollars. 
  • Establish policies for extracurriculars and athletics including the allowance of spectators, close-contact sports, and equipment sterilization based on CDC guidance.
  • Evaluate whether new food vendors need to be sourced if there is a change in requirements (e.g., individually packaged items) based on CDC guidance.
  • Collaborate with transportation vendors to implement a bussing plan that meets social distancing requirements, if necessary (including pick-up, in-transit, and drop off) and cleaning and disinfection protocols.

Do When Schools are Open and Operating

  • Update extracurricular and athletic policies based on CDC guidance.