The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Supportive Schools administers the REMS TA Center to serve two critical functions aimed at helping education agencies, with their community partners, manage safety, security, and emergency preparedness programs. We build the preparedness capacity (including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts) of schools, school districts, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and their community partners at the local, state, and Federal levels. We also serve as the primary source of information dissemination for schools, school districts, and IHEs for emergencies via the REMS TA Center Website.

The REMS TA Center is excited to announce our NEW Virtual Trainings by Request (VTBRs) program! Like our live Trainings by Request, these interactive curricula are designed to assist education agencies, including school districts, schools, institutions of higher education (IHEs), state education agencies, and regional education agencies, with their professional development and emergency preparedness capacity-building efforts.

Supporting the social and emotional well-being of the whole school community is critical for districts and administrators. This brief from the National Comprehensive Center outlines strategies for supporting the social and emotional needs of employees, students, and families as school communities navigate reopening this year.

Creating a supportive school climate can positively impact attendance, engagement, learning, and graduation rates. The Region III Equity Assistance Center (EAC), Intercultural Development Research Association EAC-South has created an infographic in English and Spanish with seven strategies that schools can use to continue fostering a positive climate for their communities during distance learning.

Meeting diverse students’ needs in a pandemic can be particularly challenging. This Webinar from the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium offers strategies from practitioners and researchers on how to deliver a high-quality education and meet the social and emotional needs of English learners, including students with disabilities and newly arrived immigrants.

Read the latest edition of News & Updates from the REMS TA Center. Features include preparing for the reopening of K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, the new U.S. Department of Justice report on ten essential actions to improve school safety, integrating personal protective equipment in the school and campus settings, upcoming trainings, archived Webinars and Web Chats, and top @remstacenter tweets for the quarter.

Watch presentations from experts in the field of school safety at any time. Recent topics include opioids, drug-related emergencies, and substance abuse prevention; ensuring continuity of feeding and food distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic, with guest presenters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state education agencies; and providing supports for students and families experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, with guest presenters from the National Center for Homeless Education.

With fall comes wildfires, hurricanes, floods, winds, and winter precipitation. Schools can plan for these natural hazards using publications and other free products on our Natural Hazards Resources page.