Examining Knowledge of US DOE Best Practices for Disaster Planning Among Five Private Christian K–12 School Administrators After a Hurricane: A Multi-Case Study

Abstract

Abstract Destruction wrought by hurricanes can physically impact schools, houses, and businesses, all of which can delay or prevent recovery within communities. This study investigated the awareness among five private K–12 Christian administrators of the United States Department of Education (USDOE) guidelines for developing emergency operation plans (EOPs) for effective response and recovery. The five administrators were selected from a pool of 12 whose schools sustained on-site damage during the 2017 hurricane season. Their interview responses supported evidence of general knowledge of USDOE guidelines. Notably, veteran administrators reported that their previous hurricane response experience was more useful than their knowledge of government EOP guidelines.