Considerations for School Closure 

Recommendations on school closure based on available science, reports from other countries and 

consultation with school health experts.

1. There is a role for school closure in response to school-based cases of COVID-19 for decontamination and contact 

tracing (few days of closure), in response to significant absenteeism of staff and students (short to medium 

length, i.e. 2-4 weeks of closure), or as part of a larger community mitigation strategy for jurisdictions with 

substantial community spread* (medium to long length, i.e. 4-8 weeks or more of closure).

2. Available modeling data indicate that early, short to medium closures do not impact the epi curve of COVID-19 or 

available health care measures (e.g., hospitalizations). There may be some impact of much longer closures (8 

weeks, 20 weeks) further into community spread, but that modelling also shows that other mitigation efforts 

(e.g., handwashing, home isolation) have more impact on both spread of disease and health care measures. In 

other countries, those places who closed school (e.g., Hong Kong) have not had more success in reducing spread 

than those that did not (e.g., Singapore).

3. In places where school closures are necessary, the anticipated academic and economic impacts and unintended 

impacts on disease outcomes must be planned for and mitigated. Provision of academic support (e.g., tele-ed), 

alternatives for school-based meals as well as other services (e.g., behavioral and mental health services) for 

economically and physically vulnerable children, support for families for whom telework and paid sick leave is not 

available, ensuring that high risk individuals continue to be protected must all be addressed. Special consideration 

must be given for health care workers so that school closures do not impact their ability to work.

*Substantial community spread is defined as large scale community transmission, health care staffing significantly impacted, multiple cases within 

communal settings.

Factors for Consideration for School Closure

Closing schools early in the spread of disease for a short time (e.g., 2 weeks) will be unlikely to stem the spread of disease or prevent impact on the 

health care system, while causing significant disruption for families, schools, and those who may be responding to COVID-19 outbreaks in health care 

settings. It may also increase impact on older adults who care for grandchildren. Waiting to enact school closures until at the correct time in the 

epidemic (e.g., later in the spread of disease) combined with other social distancing interventions allows for optimal impact despite disruption. 

Factors in favor of school closure Factors against school closure Further considerations

In response to 

school-based 

case

(Less than 1 

week closure)

• Impact on disease

o Allows for decontamination

o Allows time for epidemical 

evaluation and contact tracing; 

further action can be scaled based 

on epi investigation.

• Impact on disease

o Social mixing may still occur outside 

of school with less ability to 

monitor, especially among older 

students.

• May occur frequently during a widespread outbreak 

Short-term 

(2 weeks

closure)

• Impact on disease

o Allows time for further 

understanding of the local COVID-19 

situation (e.g., community spread)

o Increases social distancing amongst 

immediate school community. 

o Gives time for potentially exposed 

individuals to develop symptoms 

while not in school 

• Impact on families

o Children may be less impacted by 

social isolation from their peers for 

shorter time frames

• Impact on school 

o Schools are better prepared for shortterm closures because they’ve been 

more likely to have experienced those 

(e.g., for weather)

o Given current timing, some schools 

may be able to take advantage of 

spring break closures

• Impact on disease

o Modeling data for other respiratory 

infections where children have 

higher disease impacts, suggests 

that early short-term closures are 

not impactful in terms of overall 

transmission.

o Social mixing may still occur 

outside of school with less ability 

to monitor, especially among older 

students.

o Will increase risk to older adults or 

those with co-morbidities, as 

almost 40% of US grandparents 

provide childcare for 

grandchildren. School closures will 

likely increase this percentage. 

• Impact on families

o Key services are interrupted for 

students (e.g., meals, other social, 

• Disproportionate impact of children 

being out of school whose 

parents/family members are hourly 

and low-wage workers 

• Research from school staff tells us that 

schools find closures more acceptable 

when other events, gatherings, and 

facilities in the community are also 

closed or cancelled.

• Concerns about household mixing of 

sick and well family members needs to 

be addressed

• Consider non-closure social distancing 

first (e.g., staggering recess, cancelling 

assemblies and inter-school events.)

• Economic impact if school staff are not 

paid during school closure must be 

considered.
o Provides protection for older staff and 

students and staff with underlying 

medical conditions

physical health, and mental health 

services, after school programs)

o Economic impact for families 

because of the costs of childcare 

and lost wages. There may be a 

loss of productivity even for 

parents who are able to telework.

o Some families may not have 

capacity for students to participate 

in distance learning (e.g., no 

computers, internet access issues) 

even if provided by school.

• Impact on schools

o Potential academic impact because 

of the disruption to the continuity 

of learning

• Impact on health care

o Available health care workforce is 

decreased as HCW stay home with 

children. 

Medium-term 

(4 weeks

closure)

• Impact on disease

o Provides more protection for older 

staff and students and staff with 

underlying medical conditions

• Impact on schools

o Planned closures of longer periods 

may be easier for families to plan for 

than rolling closures with 

unexpected timing and duration, 

including possibly last-minute notice

• Impact on disease

o Longer closures may result in more 

students congregating outside of 

school (e.g., other students’ 

homes, shopping malls)

o Will increase risk to older adults or 

those with co-morbidities, as 

almost 40% of US grandparents 

provide childcare for 

grandchildren. School closures will 

likely increase this percentage. 

• Impact on families

o Students who rely on key services 

(e.g., meals, other social, physical 

health, and mental health services, 

after school programs) are put at 

greater risk

• Disproportionate impact of children 

being out of school whose 

parents/family members are hourly 

and low-wage workers 

• If a school closes for this length of 

time, schools must consider ways to 

continue key services

• Research from school staff tells us that 

schools find closures more acceptable 

when other events, gatherings, and 

facilities in the community are also 

closed or cancelled.

• Consider coupling with other social 

actions to mitigate risk of increased 

social mixing in other community 

areas 
o Economic impact grows with length 

of closure; furthermore, this may 

exacerbate disparities among 

families at different SES levels (e.g., 

parents with lower wage jobs may 

lose jobs)

o High school seniors likely to lose 

ability to participate in their prom, 

graduation etc. 

o Some families may not have 

capacity for students to participate 

in distance learning (e.g., no 

computers, internet access issues) 

even if provided by school.

• Impact on schools

o Significant impact on academic 

outcomes may occur. Losing one 

month of learning may prevent 

students from meeting grade level 

knowledge and skill expectations

and may jeopardize schools’ ability 

to meet standardized testing 

requirements

o School staff may be differentially 

impacted (e.g., hourly workers may 

be less able to sustain longer 

closures)

• Impact on health care

o Available health care workforce is 

decreased as HCW stay home with 

children. 

• Because closures are likely to increase 

anxiety among students, families, and 

community members, excellent 

messaging is needed along with the 

school closure.

• Economic impact if school staff are not 

paid during school closure must be 

considered.

Long-term 

(8 weeks, 20 

weeks closure)

• Impact on disease

o Modeling data for other respiratory 

infections where children have 

higher disease impacts, suggests 

that longer closures are may have 

greater impact in terms of overall 

• Impact on disease

o Longer closures may result in more 

students congregating outside of 

school (e.g., other students’ 

homes, shopping malls)

• Disproportionate impact of children 

being out of school for hourly and lowwage workers (compared to salaried 

workers who may have more flexible 

leave and telework opportunities)
transmission. Provides substantial 

protection for older staff and 

students and staff with underlying 

medical conditions

• Impact on schools

o Schools without distance learning 

may see closures of this length as 

reason to implement distance 

learning approaches they may not 

have previously had or used

o Will increase risk to older adults or 

those with co-morbidities, as 

almost 40% of US grandparents 

provide childcare for 

grandchildren. School closures will

likely increase this percentage. 

• Impact on families

o Students who rely on key services 

(e.g., meals, other social, physical 

health, and mental health services, 

after school programs) are put at 

substantial risk

o Economic impact grows with length 

of closure; furthermore, this may 

exacerbate disparities among 

families at different SES levels (e.g., 

parents with lower wage jobs may 

lose jobs)

o Student engagement with schools 

and peers diminishes, which could 

increase anxiety and other mental 

health and emotional problems. 

o High school seniors likely to lose 

ability to participate in their prom, 

graduation etc. 

• Impact on schools

o Significant impact on academic 

outcomes will likely occur; losing 2 

months of learning is likely to 

prevent many students from 

meeting grade level knowledge and 

skill expectations and will 

jeopardize schools’ ability to meet 

standardized testing requirements

o Loss of educational progress, even 

having to add an extra semester or 

• If a school closes for this length of 

time, schools must consider ways to 

continue key services

• Research from school staff tells us that 

schools find closures more acceptable 

when other events, gatherings, and 

facilities in the community are also 

closed or cancelled.

• Because closures are likely to increase 

anxiety among students, families, and 

community members, excellent 

messaging is needed along with the 

school closure. 

• Given current timing, 20-week

closures may not impact schools much 

more substantially than 8 week 

closures. Many schools end for the 

year in late May; some continue until 

mid-June.

• A 20-week scenario could still have 

substantial impact on parents who 

need to find summer care for 

students. If schools are dismissed, one 

would expect summer camps might be 

cancelled as well

• Economic impact if school staff are not 

paid during school closure must be 

considered.
year to graduate or move up a 

grade

o Staff within the schools may be 

differentially impacted (e.g., hourly 

workers may be less able to sustain 

longer closures)

o Maintaining communication with 

school staff, families, and students 

becomes substantially more 

difficult as the school closure

lengthens.

• Impact on health care

o Available health care workforce is 

decreased as HCW stay home with 

children.

Points for further consideration, regardless of degree of spread or length of potential closure

• Clear rationale, decision-making and communication with all stakeholders is extremely important. Families need to know who is making 

decisions, what those decisions are and when school-based mitigation efforts are planned to start and end.

• While we have data that can contribute to decisions about when to dismiss schools, there is almost no available data on the right time to re-start 

schools. We would advise to plan for a length of time and then evaluate based on continued community spread.

• The relationship between state and local education agencies and state and local public health must be strong and communication must be clear 

and thorough.

• Critical academic infrastructure and service provision must be considered during school closure.