This toolbox is designed to help school districts implement the McKinney-Vento Act fully, so they can address the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness on a daily basis and in times of disaster. The toolbox contains information and practical lessons learned and resources developed during the recovery process following the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
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This October 2008 article from PEDIATRICS, the official journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics, underscores the importance of community awareness of a school's disaster plan and calls on pediatricians, other health care professionals, first responders, public health officials, the media, school nurses, school staff, and parents pto be unified in their efforts to support schools in the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from a disaster.
View the article in HTML format.
Download the article in PDF format.

This June 2007 Report to Congressional Requesters from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) assesses (1) the roles of federal and state governments and school districts in establishing requirements and providing resources to school districts for emergency management planning, (2) what school districts have done to plan and prepare for emergencies, and (3) the challenges, if any, school districts have experienced in planning for emergencies, and communicating and coordinating with first responders, parents, and students. To obtain this information, the GAO interviewed federal officials, surveyed a stratified random sample of all public school districts, surveyed state education agencies and state administering agencies, conducted site visits to school districts, and reviewed relevant documents.
Download the report.

This website provides a variety of resources dealing with crisis prevention, planning, and response. It addresses a variety of emergency situations, including school violence and natural disasters.
Visit the website.

This website addresses preparation for a variety of disasters in a variety of forums, including the home and workplace. Its resources provide educators with valuable guidelines for developing a disaster plan customized to their organization's needs.
. Visit the website.

This webpage from the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) provides information on assisting families and children, especially young children with disabilities, that have been affected by disaster.
Visit the webpage.

This web resource from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-free Schools is designed to be a one-stop shop that provides school leaders with information they need to plan for any emergency, including natural disasters, violent incidents and terrorist acts.
Visit the website.

This brochure from the U.S. Department of Education provides a four-phase approach to disaster planning for schools.
Download the brochure.