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COVID-19: Creating Safe & Just Schools

NEA is here to ensure we rebuild schools with an emphasis on equity, return to the classroom safely, protect the most vulnerable students, and help educators navigate their rights and responsibilities amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

To ensure the safety and success of you and your students — during the COVID-19 pandemic, and long after — we’ve assembled helpful resources on finding and requesting tests for your school , protecting your rights and your students’ safety , supporting students’ learning and well-being , details on why and how to get vaccines and boosters , and professional development .

Recent Updates

teacher shortage

Flu, RSV Outbreaks Worsen Educator Shortage

Spikes in respiratory illnesses have forced some schools to close.
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school cafeteria food shortages

How to Evaluate Building Ventilation Using Carbon Dioxide Monitors

This document to provides guidance on what to look for in CO2 monitors; explains how to effectively use them and interpret the results; and outlines cautions when using results to make decisions about IAQ.
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Masks and Respirators in Schools

This document summarizes updates to the CDC school-related guidance on face coverings and provides general information on masks and respirators.
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School counselor Carrie Maki in her office

More Teachers, Counselors, and Bus Drivers!

Educators can have a say in how to spend the nation's pandemic relief funds.
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School Rescue Funds Ranking Tool

The American Rescue Plan can fund our schools’ most critical needs. Help us rank what the funding priorities should be in your state and district to share with lawmakers.
What's your priority?
school custodian

How to Help Your School Community Through Grief and Loss

Countless people have been touched by grief during the pandemic, and people working in schools have often struggled with it – in an atmosphere where there is so much else that we have lost.
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Vaccine Resource Center

NEA encourages widespread use of safe and effective vaccines for educators and students. We've collected the following information and resources to help educators and parents make an informed decision about how best to protect our students.

Popular Resources

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Mitigation Strategies for Safe In-Person Learning

Based on the CDC’s measures “essential to the safe delivery of in-person instruction” we have created resources to help our members implement the safest practices and mitigation strategies during in-person instruction.
See our resources
teacher and students covid

Learning Beyond COVID-19: A Vision for Thriving in Public Education

For students to learn now and beyond COVID-19, we must create the conditions to help them thrive.
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A teacher signs a liability waiver

FAQ: COVID-19 and Liability Waivers

Before you sign, learn about your rights.
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NEA President Becky Pringle
“The American Rescue Plan will undoubtedly alleviate some of our nation’s immense suffering, but there is still much work ahead to fully recover from the worst crisis to hit this country in more than a century — and to build back something better.”
Quote by: Becky Pringle , NEA President
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COVID-19–Related Micro-Credentials

Now's the perfect time to demonstrate your competence in subjects that are particularly relevant when coping with the impact of COVID-19.
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Technology Integration 101

Learn how to integrate digital tools (Google docs, QR codes, student response systems and more) into classroom lessons.
Overview Get Started Browse Related Micro-Credentials
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Cultivating Socially Just Environments

Deepen your understanding of how to cultivate socially just educational environments.
Learn More Get Started Browse Related Micro-Credentials
A teacher speaks to students, including a young girl in a wheelchair

Cultural Competence Standard

Examine cultural contexts and learn to interact across cultural contexts with sensitivity to differences like economics, race, and disability. (For education support professionals.)
Learn More Get Started Browse Related Micro-Credentials

Share Your Story

As the country grapples with the impact of COVID-19, our members are looking for help and hope. Use the form below to share how you’re getting through this tough time, a story about an educator going beyond the call of duty, or an inspiring photo or video.
Would you like to add a photo or video?
One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
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Join the Community of Educators Navigating COVID-19 Together

Join our Facebook group to connect with NEA members in your states and locals to seek and share important information about how COVID-19 is affecting your communities and what’s being done to support your students and one another.
Find resources and support
National Education Association

Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.
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