The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to the nation's K-12 education system. The rush to slow the spread of the virus led to closures of schools across the country, with little time to ensure continuity of instruction or to create a framework for deciding when and how to reopen schools. States, districts, and schools are now grappling with the complex and high-stakes questions of whether to reopen school buildings and how to operate them safely if they do reopen. These decisions need to be informed by the most up-to-date evidence about the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19; about the impacts of school closures on students and families; and about the complexities of operating school buildings as the pandemic persists. Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prioritizing Health, Equity, and Communities provides guidance on the reopening and operation of elementary and secondary schools for the 2020-2021 school year. The recommendations of this report are designed to help districts and schools successfully navigate the complex decisions around reopening school buildings, keeping them open, and operating them safely. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 K12 Schools and COVID-19: Context and Framing 2 COVID-19: What Is and Is Not Known 3 Schools and the Pandemic 4 Deciding to Reopen Schools 5 Reducing Transmission When School Buildings Are Open 6 Recommendations and Urgent Research Epilogue References Appendix A: The Committee's Review of Existing Evidence Appendix B: Guidance Documents Collected by the Committee Appendix C: Example District Plans for Reopening Schools Appendix D: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

In 2002 Congress passed the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA), authorizing the creation of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) as the research, evaluation, statistics, and assessment arm of the Department of Education, and crystallizing the federal government's commitment to providing national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of education from early childhood through postsecondary study. IES shares information on the condition and progress of education in the United States, including early childhood education and special education; educational practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to educational opportunities for all students; and the effectiveness of federal and other education programs. In response to a request from the Institute of Education Sciences, this report provides guidance on the future of education research at the National Center for Education Research and the National Center for Special Education Research, two centers directed by IES. This report identifies critical problems and issues, new methods and approaches, and new and different kinds of research training investments. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Background 3 IES at 20 4 Project Types for NCER/NCSER Grants 5 Research Topics for NCER and NCSER Grants 6 Methods and Measures 7 Ensuring Broad and Equitable Participation in NCER and NCSER Research Training Programs 8 Application and Review Process 9 Concluding Observations Appendix A: Gathering and Assessing the Evidence Appendix B: Email Correspondence Sent to the Committee Appendix C: Committee-Commissioned Papers Appendix D: Analysis of IES Funded Topics Commissioned Paper Appendix E: Funding Information in NCER and NCSER Provided by the Institute of Education Sciences Appendix F: Committee and Staff Biographies