With the school year set to resume in a little over a month, debate over if and how to reopen schools is far from settled. Whether or not kids return to in-person classes, continue learning from home, or a hybrid, students, parents, and teachers will encounter new challenges and hardships.  Even if your organization is not education focused, the sheer number of students in the United States certainly means that your mission-served audience will be affected.

The Numbers

• In 2019, approximately 56.6 million students attended elementary and secondary school in the United States. (National Center for Education Statistics)
• About 19.9 million students will attend colleges and universities in fall 2019. (National Center for Education Statistics)
• In 2019, about 32,173,000 million households had children between the ages of 6 and 18. (Statista)

Impact on Partnerships

A shift in the learning model necessitates a long list of interventions and support services: Inclusive learning resources for students with disabilities, childcare and caregiving for children and family of essential workers, digital learning tools and training for teachers, mental and behavioral health resources for all audiences, and more.

Take what you already know about your audience – Are they married with children? Essential workers? In rural areas with limited access to internet? Food insecure? – and brainstorm how the start of school will increase their needs.

This may bring a fresh perspective to your partnership strategy in the months ahead.