Wednesday, July 13, 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. MDT

Natural disasters do not affect communities equally and this is true for school districts, as well. In a recent report, the U.S. Government Accountability Office examined the recovery experiences of school districts in socially vulnerable communities and found heightened challenges in achieving emotional, academic, financial, and physical recovery. Such challenges included lack of resources and staff capacity, pre-existing trauma among students—which can be exacerbated by disaster—and difficulty accessing mental health services. Presenters in this session will highlight the report's findings and engage the audience in discussion around this topic.