Schools and child care
Please note: Masks are required for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in school, child care, and day camp settings.
The COVID-19 Delta variant is spreading fast. As of October 25 in King County, proof of vaccination will be required for everyone ages 12+ at outdoor events of 500 or more people, indoor recreational events or establishments, restaurants, and bars. As of September 13 in Washington state, masks are required for everyone ages 5+ at outdoor events with 500 or more people, and continue to be required in public indoor spaces. For more information, please see our Current COVID-19 guidance page.
Flu season is here and now is the best time to get vaccinated! Your family can safely get flu and COVID vaccines at the same time, along with other vaccines required for school and child care. Learn more.
Teachers, parents and caregivers have been resourceful, creative, and patient in supporting at-home learning. Child care and early learning centers have been critical in supporting workers on the front line of our COVID-19 response. We commend all their efforts! Please check this site for updated guidance for schools and child care.
Guidance for Child Care Administrators Updated April 29, 2021
Includes guidance document, checklists, fact sheets, and letter templates to support COVID-19 prevention and response within child care. Translated resources available for administrators and families.
- በተቋምዎ ውስጥ የተረጋገጠ ወይም የተጠረጠረ የኮቪድ-19 ኬዝ ሲከሰት ምን ማድረግ እንዳለብዎት, አማርኛ (Amharic)
- 当您的场地中有疑似或确认的COVID-19病例时该怎么办 繁體字 (Chinese, Trad.)
- Waxa La Sameeyo Marka Aad Leedahay COVID-19 Xaruntaada Oo La Shaki Ka Yahay ama La Xaqiijiyay, af Soomaali (Somali)
- Qué hacer cuando tiene un caso probable o confirmado de COVID-19 en sus instalaciones, Español (Spanish)
- Phải Làm Gì Khi Có Người Bị Nghi Ngờ hoặc Được Xác Định Dương Tính Với COVID-19 Trong Trung Tâm, Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Respond to confirmed case of COVID-19 in child care
- One or more individuals who have spent time in your facility have tested positive for COVID-19 (ex: child, staff or volunteer)
To notify Public Health:
- Call the COVID-19 Call Center between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM PST at 206-477-3977. Identify yourself as a child care provider. Interpreters are available.
- OR complete a COVID-19 Intake Survey. Public Health will respond with an email or phone call.
Refer to the Guidance for Child Care Administrators for more information.
Additional resources
- Keep me home if...
Infographic displaying illness symptoms to determine if children should stay home. - Igu hay guriga hadii… – af Soomaali (Somali)
- Mantenme en casa si... – Español (Spanish)
- Giữ con ở nhà nếu... – Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Cloth face covering handout
- Changes to Cleaning and Disinfecting During COVID-19
- Bleach Labels for Spray Bottles (5.25-6.25% or 8.25-8.3%)
- More resources on cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting
- Child Care Food Handling Procedures During COVID-19
- Child Care Resources & Recommendations (Washington State DOH)
- Español (Spanish): Pautas para programas de cuidado de niños, desarrollo juvenil y campamentos diurnos durante el brote de COVID-19
- Af Soomaali (Somali): Tusmada Daryeelka Carruurta Hormarinta Dhallinta, iyo Kaamamka Maalintii inta lagu jiro Caabuqa COVID-19
- COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Care and Education/Child Care Programs (CDC)
- Child Care Resources
- Child Care Aware
Signs to print and post to help establishments communicate with their customers and staff the steps they are taking to minimize the risk of COVID-19.
Posters for families and staff at childcare centers
Below are local, state, and national resources to support school planning process for the fall semester:
King County resources
- King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit: Guidance for K-12 public and private school and district staff
- Dashboard for key indicators of COVID-19 activity (including total cases for last 14 days per 100,000 residents)
- Infographic: When Can I Be Around Others Again?
- Grab-and-Go K-12 Student Meal Sites in King County
- Guidance for graduation and other school ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic
Washington state resources
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction:
- Washington State Department of Health:
National resources
Resources for school workplaces
The following archive of emails includes information and resources that are current at the time of publication (noted in the title). Information on COVID-19 and available resources changes regularly and may not be accurately reflected in older materials.
In order from latest emails to oldest. Most recent 3 months include bulleted details of what's covered (PDF):
- June 11, 2021
- K-12 Guidance for Summer and Fall, 2021-2022
- Guidance for Child Care, Youth Development and Day Camps During COVID-19
- Vaccination Updates
- Guidance Updates
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Webinar – Updates on COVID-19 and Back to School Guidance
- June 4, 2021
- Vaccination Updates
- Guidance Updates
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Learn to Return School Testing Program Expansion
- Webinar – Updates on COVID-19 and Back to School Guidance
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours – Ending June 10th
- May 28, 2021
- Vaccination Updates
- Guidance Updates
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Webinar – Updates on COVID-19 and Back to School Guidance
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours – Ending June 10th
- May 20, 2021
- Vaccination Updates
- Guidance Updates
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Department of Health School Guidance for Fall 2021
- Please Share with Your Community
- COVID-19 and How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
- King County COVID-19 Speaker's Bureau
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- May 14, 2021
- Vaccination Updates
- Updated Guidance from CDC and Governor – What Does This Mean for Schools and Child Care?
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Department of Health School Guidance for Fall 2021
- King County K-12 Schools Toolkit Updated
- Healthy Washington Guidance Documents for Schools
- Please Share with Your Community
- COVID-19 and How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
- King County COVID-19 Speaker's Bureau
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- May 7, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Physical Distancing in Schools during High Community Transmission
- King County Remains in Healthy Washington Phase 3 – What Does this Mean?
- Updated Guidance from DOH on Spectator Events – For Graduation Ceremonies
- Healthy Washington Guidance Documents for Schools
- Vaccine Updates
- Please Share with Your Community
- COVID-19 and How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- April 29, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Physical Distancing in Schools during High Community Transmission
- New Blog Post – Caution & Consultation are Key to Preventing Outbreaks in Schools
- Updated Masking Guidance from CDC – What Does it Mean for Schools and Childcare Providers?
- Healthy Washington Guidance Documents for Schools
- Vaccine Updates
- Events
- Please Share with Your Community
- COVID-19 and How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
- King County COVID-19 Speaker's Bureau
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- April 22, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Physical Distancing in Schools during High Community Transmission – UPDATE
- Updated School Operations Guidance from CDC
- Healthy Washington Guidance Documents for Schools
- Vaccine Updates
- Events
- Please Share with Your Community
- Youth Sports Guidance -UPDATED
- King County COVID-19 Speaker's Bureau
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- April 16, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Physical Distancing in Schools during High Community Transmission
- Healthy Washington Guidance Documents for Schools
- Vaccine Updates
- Vaccination Event for People with Disabilities 16+
- Return to In-Person Learning Support from WCAAP
- Events
- Please Share with Your Community
- Youth Sports Guidance
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- April 8, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Distancing Guidance from the Department of Health
- Guidance Updates for Phase 3
- Vaccine Updates
- Cleaning and Disinfecting: Best Practices Fact Sheet from the EPA
- Return to In-Person Learning Support from WCAAP
- Please Share with Your Community
- Travel Guidance
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- April 1, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Distancing Guidance from the Department of Health
- Guidance Updates for Phase 3
- Vaccine Updates
- Return to In-Person Learning Support from WCAAP
- Please Share with Your Community
- Travel Guidance for Spring Break and Beyond
- Guidance Spotlight: School Bus Safety During COVID-19
- Now that You're Vaccinated…
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- March 25, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- Guidance Updates for Phase 3
- Updated Distancing Guidance from the Department of Health
- Vaccine Updates
- Guidance for Spring Events: Prom and Graduation
- Please Share with Your Community
- Updated Guidancefor Travel
- Guidance Spotlight: School Bus Safety During COVID-19
- Now that You're Vaccinated…
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
- March 18, 2021
- Key Indicators of COVID-19 Activity
- CDC Guidance Updates
- Vaccine Updates
- COVID Community Vaccination Event Planning Workbooks
- Environmental Health after Extended Closures
- CDC Recommendations for Ventilation in Schools and Child Care Settings
- Special Enrollment for Washington Health Care
- Events
- Spring Break and Travel
- Now that You're Vaccinated…
- School and District Town Hall Meetings
- Schools and Child Care Task Force Office Hours
For guidance on minimizing risk in student housing, see:
- Higher education recommendations for the 2021-2022 school year, Washington Department of Health
- COVID-19 Guidance for Shared or Congregate Housing, CDC
Below are local, state, and national resources to support school planning process for the fall semester:
King County resources
- Dashboard for key indicators of COVID-19 activity (including total cases for last 14 days per 100,000 residents)
- Guidance for graduation and other school ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic
Washington state and national resources
- COVID-19-related information on childcare, schools, colleges, and universities, Department of Health
- Colleges, Universities, and Higher Learning: Guidance to Plan, Prepare, and Respond, CDC
- FAQs for Administrators, CDC
- Young, Vaxxed and Back to School Toolkit, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Resources for school workplaces
- The types of camps and programs included in this guidance are allowed to operate during all phases of the Governor's Safe Start Plan.
- Group sizes should total no more than 22 people. (Camps may operate with multiple groups so long as physical distancing can be maintained.)
- Use of cloth face coverings by staff and children (possible exemptions are noted)
- Physical distancing should be observed during camp activities and drop off/pick up.
- Health screenings should be conducted upon arrival.
- Sports-related activities must follow the Governor's Guidelines for Sporting Activities and CDC Guidance for Youth Sports
Public Health guidance for youth and summer camps
- Considerations for Youth and Summer Camps, CDC
- Child Care, Youth Development, and Summer Day Camps During the COVID-19 Outbreak, WA State Dept. of Health
- Best Starts Blog: Summer Camp Guidance, Public Health — Seattle & King County
Additional implementation support
- Field Guide for Camps, American Camp Association
- Guidance for overnight group summer camps, WA State Dept. of Health
Question-and-answer session with Nancy Bernard, MPH, REHS, CPSI, manager of Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) Indoor Air Quality and School Environmental Health and Safety Programs. Discussion topics include safer practices for disinfection in K-12 schools during the COVID pandemic and some of the issues/health reactions being reported. This is an accompaniment to DOH guidance on Ventilation and Air Quality for Reducing Transmission of COVID-19.
This video will serve as a short primer to the King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit and its various components, helping to guide you through its contents and identify key resources necessary for schools to prepare and respond to the needs of resuming in-person education.
Part one of a five part series providing an orientation and training to the King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit: Guidance for K-12 Schools. Part one covers the roles and responsibilities of COVID-19 Coordinators and other roles at both the District and School level, as well as how they interact with Public Health. This is an accompaniment video series to the toolkit documents found on the PHSKC website www.kingcounty.gov/covid/K12-toolkit
Part two of a five part series providing an orientation and training to the King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit: Guidance for K-12 Schools. Part two covers symptom screening requirements that schools and districts need to have in place to accommodate return-to-school learning. This is an accompaniment video series to the toolkit documents found on the PHSKC website www.kingcounty.gov/covid/K12-toolkit
Part three of a five part series providing an orientation and training to the King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit: Guidance for K-12 Schools. Part three of the series covers actions schools and districts should take when notified of COVID-like illness symptoms in students or staff. This is an accompaniment video series to the toolkit documents found on the PHSKC website: www.kingcounty.gov/covid/K12-toolkit
Part four of a five part series providing an orientation and training to the King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit: Guidance for K-12 Schools. Part four of the series covers actions schools and districts should take when notified of a positive COVID-19 case in their students or staff. This is an accompaniment video series to the toolkit documents found on the PHSKC website: www.kingcounty.gov/covid/K12-toolkit
The last installment of a five part series providing an orientation and training to the King County Schools COVID-19 Response Toolkit: Guidance for K-12 Schools. Part five of the series discusses when a student or staff can return to school given various different scenarios, such as after being identified as a Close Contact, after having COVID-19 or a COVID-like illness, or other situations. This is an accompaniment video series to the toolkit documents found on the PHSKC website: www.kingcounty.gov/covid/K12-toolkit
Link/share our site at kingcounty.gov/covid/schools