Appendix D: Education

Schools can face environmental health hazards such as exposure to mold, asbestos, poor indoor air quality, and contaminated water following disasters, all of which pose heightened risks to children's health and learning. Structural damage, compromised sanitation, or nearby chemical releases can further disrupt safe learning environments and delay recovery for students and staff.

Types & Definitions

• Boarding schools are educational institutions where students both live and attend school on campus. These schools may serve elementary through high school-aged children and can be public, private, or operated by tribes or other entities, often providing structured academic and residential programs.

• Charter schools are independently operated schools that may be publicly funded and are established through a charter agreement with a state or local authority. They have more flexibility in curriculum and operations than traditional public schools, while still being held accountable for academic performance and student outcomes.

• Head Start and Early Head Start are federally funded programs that provide early childhood education, health, nutrition, and family support services to low-income children and families. Head Start serves preschool-aged children, while Early Head Start focuses on infants, toddlers, and pregnant women.

• Private schools are independently funded and operated educational institutions that may be secular or affiliated with a religious organization. They are not governed by public school districts and typically charge tuition, though they may offer scholarships or financial aid.

• Public schools are government-funded schools that provide no-cost education to children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Operated by local school districts and overseen by state education departments, they are required to follow state curriculum standards and serve all eligible children in their community.

Partners

State, Tribal, Territorial, or Local Partners

• State Human Services Agency

• Territorial Departments of Health & Services

• State Department of Health or Environmental Health Division

• State Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Lead Agency

• Tribal Child Care Programs (under Tribal CCDF or Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

• Local Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs)

Federal Partners 

• Administration for Children & Families (ACF)

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

Non-Governmental Partners

• Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA)

• National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA)

• Save the Children

• Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN)

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

• Zero to Three

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

• National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education

Methods of Engagement

• Focus Groups by Provider Type: Organize separate small-group discussions with each type of provider to understand their unique concerns, operating environments, and post-disaster challenges. This allows providers to speak freely among peers who share similar circumstances.

• Surveys with Tailored Questions: Design and distribute brief, easy-to-complete surveys (digital or paper) tailored to each provider type. Include questions about physical safety, environmental conditions, disruptions to care, and needs related to children's health after the disaster.

• Partner with Local Child Care Networks or Resource & Referral Agencies: These organizations already have established relationships with a wide range of child care providers and can help convene meetings, distribute materials, and elevate the voices of smaller or underrepresented programs (especially informal and home-based care).

• Listening Sessions at Existing Provider Meetings: Join standing meetings or training sessions hosted by licensing agencies, early childhood coalitions, or local nonprofits to conduct listening sessions with providers where they already gather. 

• Community Mapping or Needs Walkthroughs: Invite providers to participate in walkthroughs or mapping exercises of their facilities or neighborhoods to identify hazards or vulnerabilities post-earthquake. This can be especially useful for home-based, informal, and faith-based providers.

• One-on-One Interviews: Conduct brief, semi-structured interviews with a sample of providers where group participation may be less feasible due to varied or irregular operations. 

• Language- and Culture-Appropriate Outreach: Ensure engagement materials and sessions are available in multiple languages and reflect the cultural context of providers, particularly for informal care and those serving multilingual families. 

• Child Care Recovery Advisory Panel: Form a short-term advisory group with at least one representative from each provider type to provide ongoing input into the assessment findings and recovery planning.