Resources For Re-opening Schools

Re-opening schools in light of COVID-19 comes with a variety of new health, safety and regulatory issues to think through. The resources below will help you navigate this uncharted territory by providing you with current information, guidance documents, ideas and best practices about how to re-open safely and in alignment with current guidance. In addition to the resources below, regional School Safety Analysts with the Idaho Office of School Safety and Security are available to assist you in your re-opening efforts. To find your regional Analyst, click here.

Idaho-Specific Resources and Guidance Documents

• Authorization and Protocols for Modified Evacuation Drills in Idaho Schools
• Central District Health (Idaho) Toolkit For School Leaders: Planning for COVID-19 Scenarios in Schools Issued 12.01.20
• Idaho Public Health COVID-19 Guidance for Schools Issued 6.19.20
• Policies for COVID-19 Planning by ISBA
• Rebound Idaho – Idaho’s Phases and Criteria for Re-opening
• Regional Idaho Public Health Districts

Resources Developed in Idaho Technical Working Groups

• COVID-19 School Communication Guide
• Mental Health Support Plan and Resources
• Social Distancing Options: Food Service
• Social Distancing Options: School Bus
• Social Distancing Options and Other Mitigation Strategies in High-Contact Education Settings

National Resources and Guidance Documents

• 10 Tips for Preventing Zoom Bombing in the Classroom
• CDC COVID-19 Resource Page for K-12 Schools
• CDC Guidance on Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility
• CDC Interim Guidance for Testing for Coronavirus in K-12 Schools (Updated 10/21/20)
• CDC’s Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools Through Phased Mitigation
• CDC Webpage on Social Distancing
• Center for Safe Schools Re-Opening Schools Resource Webpage
• Cohort Size Risk Modeling Tool
• Continuity of Operations (COOP) Principles to Ensure Continuity of Teaching and Learning in the Event of COVID-19 Disruption
• COVID-19 Resource Webpage for National Council on School Facilities (NCSF)
• Cyber Threats to K-12 Remote Learning Fact Sheet
• Department of Education Return to School Roadmap (issued August 2021)
• Department of Education COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs
• Department of Education K-12 Q&A Regarding Compliance in the COVID Environment
• Department of Health and Human Services Mask Distribution Program for Schools
• FEMA COVID-19 Education Resource Roadmap
• National Academy of Sciences Study on Reopening Schools in Light of COVID-19
• Re-opening Guidance From Other States (scroll to the bottom of the page)
• Resuming Classes: COVID-19 Considerations for Schools
• Webinar: COVID-19 HVAC Strategy