As President Biden announced a goal of vaccinating 200 million people within his first 100 days, Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan network of state and district education leaders, today released a new resource to help school systems inoculate staff and address vaccine hesitancy. The “Day in the Life of” (DILO) vaccination resource allows systems to simulate the vaccination experience for employees and describes steps that districts can take to make people feel more comfortable about getting the shot. These steps include, for example, sharing credible and accessible information on the safety, efficacy, and side effects of the vaccines; hosting question and answer sessions with local physicians and community leaders; and encouraging staff to post on social media about their experience getting a vaccine. The DILO cites data from a McKinsey & Company survey that indicates Black, Latinx, female, and lower wage earners are up to two times less likely to get vaccinated compared to white, male, or higher wage earners. In addition to emphasizing the importance of building confidence in the vaccines, the tool recommends ways that systems can make the vaccination process as easy as possible, from the time a person schedules their appointment until after they have been fully vaccinated.
“Vaccinations offer an added layer of protection against Covid-19 and complement other health measures such as masking, hand washing, distancing, and ventilation,” said Chiefs for Change CEO Mike Magee. “We asked our members what they need to plan and execute successful staff vaccination events. Drawing on their insights, we partnered with health experts to develop this comprehensive, out-of-the-box tool to help schools vaccinate their employees in a positive and efficient way. In districts where people are eager to get their shots, our resource provides logistical guidance to streamline the process. And, in places where people are not sure they want to get the vaccine, the tool helps leaders address those concerns and move our nation toward high vaccination rates and herd immunity.”
Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee, Henry County Schools in Georgia, NOLA Public Schools in Louisiana, and Phoenix Union High School District in Arizona are among the systems led by members of Chiefs for Change that provided input used to develop the tool.
“We’ve worked hard to keep our school buildings open for in-person instruction through a combination of mitigation strategies, Covid-19 testing, and, as of recently, vaccines for employees,” said Superintendent Bryan Johnson of Hamilton County Schools. “The Chiefs for Change resources have been very helpful. Our team is using them to think through options and considerations and develop robust testing and vaccination programs.”
The DILO vaccination tool helps systems identify vaccine event funding and supply; determine the role the district and any partner organizations, such as health departments or hospitals, will play; and plan for promoting the event, scheduling appointments, and tracking related data. In addition, systems can use the tool in anticipating various scenarios: If someone misses their appointment, for example, doesn’t arrive on time, shows up without prior registration, or brings a friend or family member who is not eligible for a vaccine.
This latest tool complements the Covid-19 testing DILO case studies and the school reopening DILO resources that Chiefs for Change previously released. All of the resources are available on the Schools and Covid-19 microsite here.
About Chiefs for Change
Chiefs for Change is a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for today’s world and tomorrow’s through deeply committed leadership. Chiefs for Change advocates for policies and practices that are making a difference today for students, and builds a pipeline of talented, diverse Future Chiefs ready to lead major school systems.
