Giving Compass' Take:

• Shawna De La Rosa reports how school districts, Head Start and other groups are urging teachers to take precautions when conducting home visits in both rural and urban areas.

• What are the long-term benefits of programs like school home visits? 

• Learn how teacher home visits are making a difference in Detroit.

Macy Jones, Head Start director for Alexander County Schools in North Carolina, told EdSurge she has concerns about keeping her staff safe as crime escalates in her area. She said she gives safety tips to her staff that she never had to provide in the 1980s.

Some districts, such as San Francisco Unified School District, have safety protocols for home visits including encouraging teachers to conduct home visits early in the day, leaving jewelry at home and traveling in pairs. If a teacher is not comfortable going to the student's home, she also should suggest a neutral meeting location such as a library, restaurant or conference room.

Despite perceived dangers, evidence suggests home visits provide a good return on investment. One report shows for every $1 spent on home visits, nearly $6 is saved in medical, social and criminal justice expenses. In Tampa, Florida, for instance, home visits reduced abuse and neglect, increased immunization to nearly 100%, lowered the number of unwanted pregnancies, and slashed the number of sudden infant death syndrome cases in half.

Read the full article about teacher home visits by Shawna De La Rosa at Education Dive.