Half of Nebraska teachers responded in a 2018 survey that they did not know how to manage concussions in the classroom and the same amount noticed an academic decline from students after sustaining a concussion or head injury. But finding a way to offer differentiated instruction to a student can be a challenge, especially with full classrooms and limited free time in a teacher’s schedule. Most concussions (80%) resolve within a four-week timeframe if it is immediately managed properly both in and out of the classroom.

TACT is a customized concussion management email based on each teacher’s unique responses to an online questionnaire (taking less than five minutes) about their teaching style and is immediately delivered to the teacher’s inbox outlining recommendations for environmental and academic content adjustments for the classroom. No personal student information is shared. The questionnaire only seeks information about the teacher’s personal teaching style for that class.

Recommendations are clinical, research-based best practice approaches to concussion Return to Learn (RTL) management. One email arrives each week for four weeks. Get Schooled on Concussions Tip Sheets are included with each email as attachments. These Tip Sheets are geared to support student recovery and are used by schools nationwide for concussion management.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska (BIA–NE) leading the Nebraska Concussion Coalition, a multi-agency body which implements action oriented steps to improve concussion awareness and outcomes, is providing a free statewide subscription for Nebraska educators to ‘Get Schooled on Concussions’ and ‘TACT’ (Teacher Acute Concussion Tool). Statewide promotional partners include the Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Nebraska School Activities Association, Nebraska ESU Coordinating Council, and the Nebraska Association of School Boards.

Nebraska educators wanting to learn more or use the TACT tool can login to the TACT by visiting getschooledonconcussions.com/Nebraska and using the password: TACTnebraska2020. Visit the site today! If you would like more information on the BIA–NE or Get Schooled on Concussions, contact Peggy Reisher, MSW, Executive Director, at peggy@biane.org or 402-890-0606.