And with the right tools, it can be practical and affordable.
High-impact, modular facilities are being implemented at scale, in a matter of weeks.
Next-generation sinks allow care providers to implement CDC guidance for improved handwashing with little-to-no capital investment.
Includes key considerations for pre-schools & daycares, and
practical considerations to achieve real behaviour change.
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A pre-k with 50 children could be fully prepared for less than $500.
An elementary school with 15 classrooms would be fully upgraded with durable handwashing stations for less than $3,000.
Even large schools can complement existing infrastructure using next-generation sinks while budgeting less than $5,000.
It’s not enough to provide sinks only in bathrooms. Why? Because it’s not enough to wash hands only after using the toilet.
Safety requires hand washing in more places and more times. Pioneering educators and care providers are changing where sinks are placed to ensure hygiene compliance throughout the day at vital locations—especially right inside the classroom.
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded funds to SEA to enable LEAs (including many charter schools) to improve safety. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund—including the CARES & CRRSA ESSER and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) ESSER—and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund may be used to support these efforts in pre-K through 12.
An LEA must demonstrate:
For background information of the funds, visit ARP ESSER, CARES & CRRSA ESSER, & GEER
CDC advises that staff and children in schools and early care and education (ECE) programs wash hands with soap and water, and recommends:
Next generation sinks are eligible for funding as handwashing supplies to implement the CDC recommendations. They are ideal to:
Simple: schools need to offer handwashing sinks in every classroom
Complicated: retrofitting spaces with water pipes and drainage
The U.S. Department of Education officially discourages LEAs from using ESSER and GEER funds for construction because it may limit an LEA’s ability to support other essential needs. Remodeling, renovation, and new construction are often time-consuming, which may not be workable under the shorter timelines associated with ESSER and GEER funds.
Using these funds to install piped sinks requires prior written approval from an LEA’s Governor or SEA.
It must also comply with Davis-Bacon, 34 CFR §§ 76.600, and 75.600-75.618, which in turn require various assessments, including environmental impact, wages of workers, historic preservation, title and right of access, public advertising market bidding, and financial and economic assessments. Compliance is also required with OMB Standard Forms 24B and D.
