As schools reopen, what can educators do to support marginalized students? These resources can help, with guidance for promoting family and community engagement, accelerating learning, building summer school programs, and more!

School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a particularly heavy toll on students in marginalized communities. Recent data suggests that all US students are months behind in reading and math, and those numbers are even higher in marginalized student groups. Schools are currently trying to prevent further learning loss by bringing certain populations back on campus while also improving access to remote learning.&nbsp;These stop-gap measures will not be enough; schools will need to accelerate learning opportunities to help students meet their full potential in the years to come. Below, we highlight some of the most useful strategies from the <a href="https://tntp.org/covid-19-school-response-toolkit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">COVID-19 School Response Kit</a>, developed by The New Teacher Project (TNTP), a non-profit organization with a mission of ensuring that poor and minority students get equal access to effective teachers.Mental Health – The first step to addressing student and staff mental health can be found in the <a href="https://tntp.org/assets/covid-19-toolkit-resources/Planning_for_Wellbeing_and_Connection-TNTP.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Planning for Wellbeing and Connection Guide</a>. Given both the unprecedented global pandemic and social upheaval that the United States has experienced as the nation reckons with its legacy of systemic racism, systems must prioritize attending to and caring for wellbeing and connectedness so that students thrive in their educational experiences.Family and Community Engagement – <a href="https://tntp.org/assets/covid-19-toolkit-resources/5_Essentials_for_Engaging_Families_and_Community_Partners_in_Reopening_Efforts.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">5 Essentials for Engaging Communities and Families in Reopening</a> shares detailed strategies for reaching families and communities to kick off the engagement process.Learning Acceleration – The <a href="https://tntp.org/assets/covid-19-toolkit-resources/TNTP-Learning-Acceleration-Guide-Updated-Nov-2020.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learning Acceleration Guide</a> gives schools and teachers step-by-step strategies to identify what unfinished learning needs to be addressed, as well as when and how.Promising Reopening Programs – In addition to TNTP’s resources, UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools’ <a href="http://transformschools.ucla.edu/beyond-the-schoolhouse-digging-deeper/promising-models/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Beyond the Schoolhouse: Digging Deeper</a>, covers COVID-19 and reopening schools for Black students. As schools begin the journey back to in-person instruction, they also have the opportunity to reimagine and recreate what learning looks and feels like. UCLA’s Center for Transformation of Schools provides a glimpse into some promising models and programs that are serving Black students well.Thanks for reading! We hope these resources are a helpful addition to your toolkit as you focus on reopening schools for all kids! While you’re here, browse through our other <a href="https://www.crosscountryeducation.com/blog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">resources for educators</a> at Cross Country Education.

Supporting Marginalized Student Groups as Schools Reopen