School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan - Due Date Reminder & Resources for the 2023-24 School Year:

Oregon Department of Education sent this bulletin at 08/02/2023 11:44 AM PDT

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To: Superintendents, Communicable Disease Preparedness Liaisons, Charter School Leaders, Principals, K-12 Public Information Officers, School Nurses 
From: Kati Moseley; Administrator, Health in Education  
Date: August 2, 2023 
Re: School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan due date reminder and updated resources for the 23-24 school year 

Dear School and District Leaders, 

With the approach of the 2023-24 school year, we look forward to another successful year of strengthening school health, safety, and well-being for students and staff across Oregon. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to support student and staff health every day. 

Today we are sharing updated resources to plan for the coming school year and provide a reminder about the required School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan due in August. 

Assurances for School-level Communicable Disease Management Plans are Due August 25, 2023.

On May 10, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) shared requirements for School-level Communicable Disease Management Plans for the 2023-24 school year. Under Section 2001(i)(1) of the ARP ESSER and the US Department of Education’s Interim Final Requirements for Safe Return/Continuity of Services Plan, Education Service Districts, school districts, and public charter schools must ensure that every public school and program has a completed School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan by submitting a set of assurances.  This requirement is also in alignment with the communicable disease planning expectations of the recently updated Health Services Rule (OAR 581-022-2220). 

Assurances regarding readiness of schools to respond to communicable disease events during the 2023-24 school year are due to ODE before the start of the district's school year or by August 25, 2023, whichever is sooner.   

ODE, in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Oregon School Nurses Association (OSNA), and school leaders, has developed resources to support the creation of school-level plans for the 2023-24 school year. These include: 

  • Overview of changes from the 2022-23 school year COVID-19 Management Plans to the 2023-24 Communicable Disease Management Plans 
  • Recording of the May 15, 2023 Office Hours reviewing plan requirements for the 2023-24 school year 

Please reach out to your ESD representative or to ODE.HealthySchools@ode.oregon.gov with any questions. 

Updated Planning Supports 

ODE has updated planning resources and tools for the coming school year, available at the Communicable Disease Planning for the 2023-24 School Year webpage. The webpage provides links to Oregon health, mental health, and school communicable disease resources, including news and updates, communicable disease guidance for schools, and translated guidance letters to families about communicable disease. It also offers links to partner resources and archived resources. 

Alongside the updated Planning webpage, ODE has also updated our Communicable Disease Communications Toolkit for the 2023-24 school year. This page includes tools to center safety and belonging, resources for various communicable diseases, and communication templates and tools for districts, such as a letter to families explaining changes in COVID-19 protocols with the lifting of the public health emergency in May. 

Thank you for your thoughtful work and planning to keep schools healthy, safe, and connected. Please reach out to ODE.HealthySchools@ode.oregon.gov with any questions or for additional support.