The World Health Organization (WHO) has made the assessment that COVID-19 (coronavirus) can be characterised as a pandemic and the virus has now spread to many countries and territories. While a lot is still unknown about the virus that causes COVID-19, we do know that it is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an…

Schools, working together with local health departments, have an important role in slowing the spread of diseases and protecting vulnerable students and staff, to help ensure students have safe and healthy learning environments. This guidance will help public and private child care programs, K-12 schools, and their partners understand how to help…

As the United States considers reopening schools after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers and administrators need to consider how to reopen in a way that keeps students and staff safe. This brief provides insight into health and safety guidelines and social distancing strategies used in other countries that have successfully…

Throughout the school year, recommendations were revised several times to reflect what was currently known about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and best public health practices as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). The situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic…

This "Equity by Design" brief highlights equity issues that arise in the process of reopening schools during a global pandemic. The authors examine state plans and guidance for reopening schools across states in the Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP EAC) region which includes the 13 states of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,…

This interim guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will update this guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available. This interim guidance is intended for administrators of public and private…

This toolkit was developed to assist principals in structuring their thinking about the return to school, in whatever form it takes. It offers tools and tip sheets, the context for using them, and suggestions for actions principals might consider. The toolkit is organized around four sections: (1) Change (staying current in understanding changes…

The purpose of "Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Schools" is to provide basic information and communication resources to help school administrators implement recommendations from CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Guidance for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators for School (K-12)…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes that school administrators, teachers, staff, and parents are concerned about the flu, particularly its effects on children. Schools are instrumental in keeping their communities healthy by taking actions such as posting information about hand hygiene in restrooms, providing flu…

This fact sheet presents guidelines for schools and child care providers that may be helpful to identify symptoms and prevent the spread of the flu in child care facilities. (Contains 6 resources.)

Developed especially for high school health occupations education programs in Missouri, this guide uses U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules as a base for guidelines for student participation in health care. The document informs administrators and teachers about special circumstances that must be considered in the…

A model school policy provides guidelines for Iowa school systems with regard to students with AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), herpes simplex, and cytomegalovirus. The AIDS guidelines include the following: (1) Routine screening students for AIDS associated virus is not recommended. (2) Children infected with the AIDS associated virus,…

A discussion of the transmission and prevention of hepatitis B focuses on implications of the disease for special educators, including maintaining confidentiality, providing education in the least restrictive environment, curriculum modifications in related behavioral/social areas, and personal risk. Relevant administrative and legal questions are…

One of the most important factors in the education of children is the establishment of their physical health, without which all learning and training must have less value for the individual and for society than they would have with it. Implicitly in the act creating the Bureau of Education and explicitly in recent acts of Congress, investigations…