“‘Schools are an important part of the infrastructure of communities, as they provide safe, supportive learning environments for students, employ teachers and other staff, and enable parents, guardians, and caregivers to work. Schools also provide critical services that help to mitigate health disparities, such as school meal programs, and social, physical, behavioral, and mental health services. School closure disrupts the delivery of these critical services to children and families, and places additional economic and psychological stress on families, which can increase the risk for family conflict and violence.'”Over the years, Kansas public schools have increased funding for services beyond instruction, from meals to health and psychological services to safety programs. School boards have sometimes been criticized for such ‘non-instructional’ spending. The pandemic has proven the importance of these programs.”

Read this article by KASB that highlights how COVID-19 school closures impact more than student learning.