COVID-19 Policy Update #122
COVID-19 Policy Update
WEDNESDAY 10/7
TOP THREE
CA Top Health Official On School Reopenings: Dr. Mark Ghaly said he has not seen a link between the reopening of K-12 schools for in-person learning and increased coronavirus transmission.
Phase 4:
President Trump continues to send mixed signals over a COVID-19 relief bill. After urging a deal over the weekend he abruptly ended negotiations last evening, only to later call on Congress to pass stand alone measures including assistance for airlines and direct cash benefits. Our partners at Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas said House Committee Staff and House Republican Leadership indicated today's talks focused solely on an airline relief measure.
Politico reports that “several frustrated GOP lawmakers" are urging Trump to come back to the negotiating table for a comprehensive package.
Notable for education - a dear colleague letter from the Speaker singled out education. "Sufficient funding needed for children to be able to be safe in-person in the classroom or have the equipment and broadband access for distance or hybrid learning.
Minutes from the September Federal Open Market Committee also included this: "In addition, most forecasters were assuming that an additional pandemic-related fiscal package would be approved this year, and noted that, absent a new package, growth could decelerate at a faster-than-expected pace in the fourth quarter."
Sabotage in the Liberal City: Provocative piece from Ross Douthat in reaction to the ProPublica article on "The Students Left Behind." A few sections:
"The result of this urban shutdown is an autumn in which schools have successfully reopened for much more of white America than minority America: Approximately half of white kids have access to in-person school, compared with just about a quarter of African-American and Hispanic students, according to a recent survey MacGillis cites."
"One striking detail in the MacGillis piece is that even though school closures plainly have a disparate impact on minority students, the case for closures is often phrased in the language of anti-racism, with the frequent suggestion that re-openers don’t care about putting minorities at risk. This makes the schools issue the most conspicuous example of a larger pattern, in which the invocation of anti-racism and the reality of racial impacts can sharply diverge."
"But right now, the same anti-Trump progressivism that’s crusading against presidential racism is also presiding over a mix of policy choices and abdications that’s worsening life for racial minorities across multiple dimensions, making their school systems less stable, their streets less safe, their kids less likely to succeed."
FEDERAL
P-EBT: CBPP has an incredible document detailing state-by-state implementation of P-EBT including eligibility, benefit amounts, EBT vendors, implementation timelines, applications, and more.
Visualizing The Economic Relief: The Washington Post as an interactive visualization of the total amount of economic relief passed by Congress so far.
STATE
California: NYT story on how Cajon Valley school district reopened schools for their students. "Cajon Valley’s ability to partially reopen its buildings with the support of both families and teachers is a testament to the importance of a scarce commodity during the pandemic: trust."
Oregon: The state is reevaluating their metrics for reopening schools.
New Jersey: In remote-learning era, Newark teacher evaluations go virtual.
North Carolina: The Halifax County Board of Education voted to extend remote learning for an additional nine weeks. The district is also opening learning pods where students will receive breakfast and lunch and academic support. One positive note: A parent survey showed 93% of households had Internet access compared to only 50% in July.
Virginia: Fairfax County teachers union again calls for delay in resuming in-person learning. The teachers’ union said nearly 86% of its members surveyed indicated they lack confidence in the school system’s reopening plan.
INTERNATIONAL
Nigeria: Basirat Ajayi had over 1,000 students — from within and outside Nigeria — sign up in the first week.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Women in the Workplace Study: McKinsey and Lean In report 1 in 4 women are contemplating downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce. 76% of mothers with children under age 10 say child care has been among their top three challenges during the pandemic. The report touches on burnout, concerns, and recommendations for employers.
Salesforce Ventures Launches $100 Million Impact Fund: The fund is intended to bring more investment into education and reskilling, climate action, diversity, equity and inclusion, and providing tech for nonprofits and foundations.
Office Reopenings: Nationally, 25% of workers have returned to offices. In Los Angeles, 32% have gone back, and in Dallas, 40%. But only 12% of New Yorkers
RESOURCES
School Finances: Bellwether is launching a series sharing perspectives on how a financial crisis might play out in education and where impacts will be felt.
Student Perceptions With Colleges: A survey by New America and Third Way found that 57% of college students said that having access to a stable, high-speed internet connection could be challenging if they continued their education online. More data on views, enrollment, and more here.
COVID-19 Is Rewriting the Rules of Corporate Governance: HBR article that while written for corporations has some insights for non-profit and education leaders.
State Chiefs Rethinking Accountability: Good readout from a recent CCSSO webinar describing the challenges and strategies states are using for their assessment and accountability systems.
Childcare Poll: The Center for American Progress and GBAO Strategies released results of Millennial and GenZ poll. One-third of 18- to 34-year-old voters say that their personal economic situation has gotten worse in the past year. 46% of young voters are paying more for child care. More than 4 in 10 of 18- to 34-year-olds have faced a negative career impact, personally or in their household, due to child care issues.
Sharks Use Sign Language: When selecting Wiesblatt for the NHL draft. Doug Wilson Jr. made sure to sign Ozzy’s name in ASL when making the announcement, because Weisblatt’s mom is deaf.