Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers
Headline: Orders Federal Support to Reopen Schools and Child Care Safely
What it does: Agencies must provide guidance, data, supplies, and technical assistance to support safe reopening and operation of schools, child care, Head Start, and higher education.
- Schools and child care must receive guidance and technical assistance for safe reopening.
- Federal data collection on pandemic impacts will be disaggregated by student demographics.
- COVID-19 testing materials and supplies to be allocated to schools and child care.
Summary
This order directs federal agencies to help schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and colleges reopen and stay open safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasizes protecting health while ensuring students receive high-quality instruction and essential services.
The Secretary of Education must issue evidence-based guidance, create a best-practices clearinghouse, and collect disaggregated data; the Secretary of Health and Human Services must help allocate testing and supplies, support contact tracing, and provide reopening guidance for child care and Head Start to reduce learning loss and address disparities.
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