FAQ

Yes. Students should only play with those in their cohort. Outdoor recess is highly encouraged if the school has a field for use. An indoor space can only be used if outdoor space isn’t sufficient or the weather doesn’t permit use. PE guidance is being developed on how to keep students physically active in their own “circles of space” (e.g. yoga, individual activities in marked off spaces).

Hand in hand with our commitment to provide a safe learning environment is our commitment to transparency and clear lines of communications to families on all issues related to COVID-19.  

Should there be a confirmed, positive case of an individual in a school building, we will notify students and staff; provide self-quarantine instructions to close contacts; and follow all steps outlined by DC Health and the CDC for cleaning, disinfection, and sanitizing. To minimize the impact of a positive case on the entire school, students will be grouped in cohorts that do not have close contact with other cohorts. 

Air quality is critical for the health of those who occupy a school building. DCPS is currently working with the Department of General Services (DGS) to ensure our HVAC systems are up to code for in-person learning in a school building. 

The purpose of HVAC enhancements is to ensure that a greater volume of fresh air enters our school buildings and that we have increased filtration. This goes above and beyond normal operations. The goal of this effort is to reduce both in-room and room-to-room transmission within school buildings. To accomplish this, schools will have either have increased fresh air through an existing Direct Outside Air System (DOAS) and installation of MERV-13/MERV-14 filters or have High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters placed in learning areas. All DCPS schools will receive an HVAC enhancement and these improvements align with The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommendations.  

DCPS central office will help supply the following modifications with the custodial and operational staff at each school supporting with set up and site preparation: 

• Tents for student arrival and use for outdoor learning if field space allows on school grounds 
• Stanchions, cones, and barricade ropes for helping staff and students abide by social distancing guidelines during arrival to school 
• Plexiglass table-top dividers for reception and security areas where staff will have to interact with visitors and families in closer proximity than six feet 
• Clear screen dividers to separate designated spaces such as the Health Isolation Room and better facilitate social distancing should multiple students with symptoms be directed there at the same time 
• Six feet spacing disks and floor tape to visualize social distancing for students and staff as they move around the school building 
• Carpet tiles in classrooms for younger students to help facilitate social distancing 
• Door jambs to prop open doors whenever students are scheduled to move throughout the building (e.g. arrival, dismissal, transitions) 

For staff returning to work in-person on a daily basis and students returning to in-person learning, DCPS will require daily symptom self-screenings to help protect the safety and health of all. For all District employees reporting to a physical work location and students reporting to school, required screenings will be completed via participation in a short survey. Upon arrival at the school building, staff will be required to log onto a DCPS system and confirm that they have completed a health screening self-assessment prior to their arrival at the school and that they are experiencing no COVID-19 symptoms.  

Students will be required to have written documentation verifying that a daily symptom screening was conducted by their parent or guardian prior to coming to schools and will have their temperatures checked and a visible symptom screening conducted upon arrival at school.  

An individual that does not pass the health screening should not enter the school and instead should isolate immediately and call their healthcare provider to determine next steps. Students who are not able to go home alone will be escorted to the health isolation room until they can be picked up by a parent/guardian. 

This message is archived. Information on CARE classroom seating will be available in January.

Families will receive notification via email by October 23 followed by a call from the school if they received a seat. Families can also call their school after results are released to confirm their status.  

Schools will call all matched families within the first 2 days of releasing matches. Once the school speaks to a family, the family has up to 2 school days to confirm their seat. If a family does not respond within that timeframe, they will lose their offer and their student will continue with learning at home. If a school cannot reach a family, they will keep trying, but a seat will not be held for more than 5 school days for non-response.    

All schools, from Pre-K through 12, are preparing reopening plans to share with their school community in January and will open for in-person programming at the start of Term 3, as health conditions allow.

For more information, visit Term 3 Planning.

Families will be notified by mid-October should an In-Person Learning Classroom seat be available to them.  

Families will be notified in by the end of October regarding seats in Student CARE Classrooms.   

A family will always have the option to continue learning at home and can decline a matched seat. 

Meals will be free for all DC youth ages 18 and younger and DC Public School students participating in in-person learning programing through June 30, 2021.

For students enrolled at non-CEP schools, Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) applications must be completed every school year to determine your student’s eligibility for FARM benefits. Families that believe they may qualify for FARM benefits are still encouraged to apply online now at www.myschoolapps.com/Application, in person at a meal pick-up site, or at their local school to prevent any disruption in meal service and qualification for any additional benefits.

Breakfast and lunch meals will meet the USDA Child Nutrition meal pattern requirements based on each program. Meals consist of an entrée, fruit serving and/or vegetable serving, and a milk. If a student requires dietary accommodations, please contact DCPS Food & Nutrition Services at dietary.forms@k12.dc.gov, or request the dietary accommodations form from staff at any open meal site.