What to expect for Head Start after COVID-19

September seems so far from now, doesn’t it? Where will things stand at that time? Will school be back in session? Even as states begin cautiously reopening some businesses, schools remain closed. However, most expect that school will be back in session in the fall.

But what will that look like? As we try to get back to our normal routines, some things will continue to be different for quite a while, possibly even forever. Many of the same precautions we’re taking now, such as digital meetings, reduced travel and mandated mask-wearing, will likely continue throughout the 2022 school year.

If you’re a teacher or parent feeling overwhelmed at the moment about how and when school will open, trust that you are not alone. That’s why we wanted to think about some of the ways that the coming school year might be different so that we can anticipate and plan for them now.?

Social Distancing

Social distancing will no doubt be encouraged throughout the next school year. For those in early childhood education, this presents quite the challenge. You can’t make children of that age stay six feet apart. What you can do, however, is reduce classroom volume and stagger activities such as recess and lunchtime so that children don’t congregate in large groups. And of course, ask staff and visitors to maintain their distance from each other.

Digital Meetings

We should all be experts in online meetings at this point. Head Start’s Board or Policy Council meetings will likely be held digitally for the foreseeable future. Although there are some downfalls to meeting through a screen, it’s also an opportunity to increase engagement since travel arrangements don’t have to be made. You could also interview new staff, conduct eligibility interviews with parents, and engage community leaders through digital meetings.

Online Training & Reduced Travel

In-person training opportunities will likely be greatly reduced, particularly at large conferences. We could imagine all large conferences being put on hold until a vaccine is found.?As for smaller training opportunities, those will likely go online like digital meetings, especially when it would include parents or other community members.

Reducing Technology Barriers

Family Engagement is one of the primary goals of the Head Start program and will continue to be. However, with meetings and training going online, technology barriers could stand in the way. Some families may lack internet service or share one device amongst the entire family. Head Start may need to come up with ways that can support families who face these barriers. Now’s the time to think about what resources are available.

Sanitation Policies

New sanitation procedures will need to be put in place for the safety of everyone who enters a Head Start building. This could include more frequent janitorial service, regular disinfection of surfaces throughout the school day, and thorough disinfection using specialized equipment if any COVID-19 cases are found.?This will all cost extra time and money for the Head Start program.?

Mandatory Masks

Again, I don’t see a situation where three and four-year-olds could wear masks. However, I can imagine a situation where at the very minimum, office staff and visitors will be required to wear masks, and possibly even classroom teachers.

Temperature Checks

While not widespread here in the United States, it wasn’t uncommon in other countries to face a?temperature check as soon as you walked into the door of a business, school, or even your apartment. We could see that coming to the US as schools reopen.

Mandatory Vaccinations

We wrote a blog last year about?Head Start’s policy on vaccinations, in which we explained that Head Start does not federally mandate that children be vaccinated. Instead, Head Start programs must follow state law just like any other public school when it comes to vaccinations. As you may know, some states allow exemptions from vaccines under certain circumstances. However, as the most disruptive pandemic in our lifetime, COVID-19 may convince federal legislators to write new requirements for Head Start and mandate certain vaccines. This is all just speculation of course, but we could see it being brought to the table for discussion.

These are just a few of the ways we can see things changing for Head Start in the next school year. What do you think? Do you think there will be more federal guidelines about how Head Start should operate in the post-COVID-19 world? Do you think certain things will be mandated??We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!