(Black PR Wire) The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered pre-taped remarks during the virtual National Safe School Reopening Summit, which was held on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 from 12 p.m. – 3:30 p m EDT. The Summit was one of a series of steps the Department is taking to provide support and resources to schools as they work to reopen quickly and safely and equitably address the academic, social, and emotional needs of students most impacted by the pandemic. The Department is partnering with the Learning Policy Institute to provide research support for the Summit, and the event is open to the public. Participants in the Summit included:

• President Joe Biden
• Vice President Kamala Harris
• Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States
• Dr. Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education
• Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute
• Students, educators, and representatives from school districts across the country

The Summit featured:

• Welcome remarks from the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden 

• Lessons from the Field - Implementing CDC’s K-12 Operational Strategy to Keep Students, Educators, and Staff Safe
  • Representatives from Cleveland, Ohio and New York City, New York will highlight effective school and district reopening approaches that have a focus on equity.
  • Participants: Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky 

• Technical Assistance from CDC and ED - Implementing CDC’s Guidance to Keep Students, Educators, and Staff Safe
  • Technical experts from CDC and ED will discuss CDC’s K-12 Operational Strategy, ED’s COVID-19 Implementation Handbook, and other resources; answer common questions; and clarify misconceptions.
  • Participants: Dr. Greta Massetti, Co-Lead of the Community Interventions and Critical Populations Task Force for CDC COVID response, Donna Harris-Aikens, Senior Advisor for Policy and Planning for the Department of Education
  • Moderator: Jessica Cardichon, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development for the Department of Education

• Pre-taped Remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris 

• Lessons from the Field - Supporting All Students: Addressing the Academic, Social, and Emotional Needs of Students with a Focus on Equity
  • Representatives from Cajon Valley, California and Tulsa, Oklahoma will share promising strategies to support the social, emotional, and academic development needs of students, with a particular focus on students who have been historically underserved and who have experienced the greatest disruption from the pandemic.
  • Moderator: Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, President and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute. 

• Remarks by Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona 

• Pre-taped Remarks by President Joe Biden