ED COVID-19 Handbook - Volume 3 - Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Angel

ED COVID-19 Handbook Volume 3 aligns strategies for colleges and universities with the most recent CDC guidance current as of June 4, 2021. It emphasizes safe in-person learning capacity and addresses the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education students, adult learners, faculty, and staff. The document highlights unequal access to internet, devices, and remote or hybrid feasibility, as well as barriers to basic needs such as housing, food, child care, and health insurance, and the mental health and trauma experienced across communities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages57

Reading Time2 h 24 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Safe Practices for In-Person Learning

Supporting Higher Education in Navigating Online Learning in a Pandemic

Broadband and Device Access for Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff

Basic Needs Supports for Students

Student Caregivers

Mental Health Needs of Students and Staff

Commitments to the Community

Available Federal Funding and Flexibilities

This Volume of the ED COVID-19 Handbook is based on the most recent Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidance issued as of June 4, 2021. For the most recent CDC guidance issued after the release of this Volume – and how to consider the strategies included in this Volume within the context of the most up to date CDC guidance – please visit: [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/colleges-universities/considerations. html](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/colleges-universities/considerations. html) OP EP D-IO-21-03 VOLUME 3 - 20 21 ED COVID-19 HANDBOOK Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff U. S. Department of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona Secretary of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development Donna Harris-Aikens Acting Assistant Secretary June 2021 This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be U. S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, ED COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 3: Strategies for Safe Operation and Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education Students, Faculty, and Staff, Washington, DC, 2021. This report is available on the Department of Education’s website at [https://www2.ed.gov/](https://www2.ed.gov/)[ ](https://www2.ed.gov/)[documents/coronavirus/reopening-3.pdf](documents/coronavirus/reopening-3.pdf.)[.](documents/coronavirus/reopening-3.pdf.) Availability of Alternate Formats On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille or large print. For more information, please contact the Department of Education’s Alternate Format Center at 202-260- 0818 or via e-mail at [alternateformatcenter@ed.go](alternateformatcenter@ed.gov)[v](alternateformatcenter@ed.gov). Notice to Limited English Proficient Persons If you have difficulty understanding English, you may request language assistance services for all publicly available Department information. These language assistance services are available free of charge. If you need more information about interpretation or translation services, please call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-877-8 339), email us at Ed. Language. [Assistance@ed.gov](Assistance@ed.gov), or write to U. S. Department of Education, Information Resource Center, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20202. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 4 SAFE PRACTICES FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING.................9 SUPPORTING HIGHER EDUCATION IN NAVIGATING ONLINE LEARNING IN A PANDEMIC ....................................18 BROADBAND AND DEVICE ACCESS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF ................................................................................. 25 BASIC NEEDS SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS ........................31 STUDENT CAREGIVERS ........................................................... 40 MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF .....44 COMMITMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY..................................50 AVAILABLE FEDERAL FUNDING AND FLEXIBILITIES .....52 3 U. S INTRODUCTION Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment. EXECUTIVE ORDER 14000 SUPPORTING THE REOPENING AND CONTINUING OPERATION OF SCHOOLS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROVIDERS President Biden is committed to seeking and providing the necessary resources to support the safe operation of institutions of higher education (IHEs) and addressing the ongoing impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education students, adult education students, faculty, and staff. As stated in Executive Order 14000 (hereinafter referred to as Executive Order), Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schoo

FAQs

What is the purpose of ED COVID-19 Handbook Volume 3?

It provides strategies for safe operation and addresses COVID-19 impacts on higher education students, faculty, and staff, consistent with CDC guidance current as of June 4, 2021.

How does the handbook address disparities in remote or hybrid learning?

It notes that underserved students may have less access to internet services and technological devices, and it discusses how some programs of study make remote or hybrid options infeasible.

What key areas beyond health safety does Volume 3 cover?

It includes supporting online learning, broadband and device access, basic needs supports, student caregivers, mental health needs, community commitments, and federal funding flexibilities.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Angel