Coronavirus: Resources for Schools, Districts, Parents and More
March 30, 2020 | Written By: Abby Callard

This blog was originally published on March 13.
We have developed a COVID-19 Resource Hub with curated sets of resources to help support school staff, parents, teachers and more.
Healthy Schools Campaign is closely monitoring the news regarding coronavirus (COVID-19), which was declared a national emergency by the White House and a pandemic by the World Health Organization. As an escalating number of cases are confirmed across the US, schools are evaluating how best to prevent the spread of disease, protect students and staff, and facilitate learning amid extremely challenging circumstances.
The health and safety of students needs to be our top priority.
Widespread school closures are occurring across the country, with states and districts instituting closures for many weeks, and several governors alerting students and parents to plan on finishing the remainder of the school year at home. Millions of children will experience significant and unprecedented disruptions to their education.
Among the many recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is that schools continue meal programs in the wake of school closures. Given that more than 22 million students nationwide rely on school meals to meet nutritional needs, we cannot overlook the importance of employing innovative and strategic methods to distribute meals and safeguard food security for our nation’s children.
Thankfully the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted waivers to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C., so that schools can run feeding programs, like they do in the summer, to provide free meals to students. The USDA also eliminated the requirement that meals be served in a group setting, and many districts are using creative methods like grab-and-go meal pick ups, school bus meal delivery, and other pop-up food systems to ensure that students do not go hungry during this time.
We want to share resources that draw on best practices to support schools as they navigate this public health emergency.
Resources for K-12 Schools
- CDC: Resources for K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs
- CDC: FAQ for K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs
- CDC: Considerations for School Closure
- Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) COVID-19 resources
- Food Research and Action Center: Preparing for the Impacts of the Coronavirus on Health, Well-being, and Food Security
- National School Boards Association: Preparing for Widespread Illness in Your School Community: A Legal Guide for School Leaders
- US Department of Education COVID-19 Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel
- Child Trends: Laws By State on How Schools Should Address Pandemics
- National Education Association: Schools and Coronavirus: What You Should Know
- Education Week Map: Coronavirus and School Closures
Resources for Higher Education
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Institutions of Higher Education
- American Federation of Teachers: COVID-19—How to Be Prepared: Bulletin for Higher Ed Faculty and Staff
Resources for Cleaning Staff
- CDC: Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations
- Environmental Protection Agency: EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products for Use Against Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the Cause of COVID-19
- Environmental Protection Agency: Frequently Asked Questions about Disinfectants for Use Against COVID-19
- American Federation of Teachers: COVID-19 Cleaning Resources for Custodians and School Personnel
- American Federation of Teachers: COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection Resources for School Bus Personnel
Resources for School Nurses
- National Association of School Nurses: Coronavirus Disease 2019 Resources
- Coronavirus: Information for AFT Nurses and Health Professional members and employers
- CDC: Talking with Children about COVID-19–Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children
Resources for Teachers
- American Federation of Teachers: Coronavirus: Information for educators and school support staff
- Child Trends: Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- CDC: Talking with Children about COVID-19–Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children
- CDC: Checklist for Teachers and Parents
Resources for Parents
- CDC: Talking with Children about COVID-19–Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children
- CDC: Checklist for Teachers and Parents
- CDC: Clean & Disinfect Guidelines for Households
- CDC: Tips for Keeping Kids Healthy When School Is Out
- Food Research and Action Center: An Advocate’s Guide to the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)
- National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses: Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
- National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses: Hable con sus hijos sobre el COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Un recurso para padres
- Education Week Map: Coronavirus and School Closures
- Healthychildren.org: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- School Meal Finder
- Child Trends: Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic