On August 3, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) released the "Return to School Roadmap," which is a resource designed to support students, schools, educators, and their communities as districts prepare to return to in-person learning in the fall. The Roadmap includes three "Landmark" priorities that schools, districts, and communities are encouraged to focus on in the upcoming school year.
These include:
(1) prioritizing the health and safety of students, staff, and educators,
(2) building school communities and supporting students' social, emotional, and mental health, and
(3) accelerating academic achievement.
As part of the Roadmap, DOE will release resources for practitioners and parents on each of these priorities and will highlight schools and districts that are using innovative practices to address these priorities.
In launching the Return to School Roadmap, DOE also released:
- A fact sheet for schools, families, and communities on the Return to School Roadmap, reviewing the three "Landmark" priorities, and elevating schools and districts that are addressing each in effective ways.
- A guide for schools and districts outlining what schools can do to protect the health and safety of students, including increasing access to vaccinations and steps for implementing the CDC's recently updated K-12 school guidance.
- A checklist that parents can use to prepare themselves and their children for a safe return to in-person learning this fall.