COVID-19 Policy Update #168
COVID-19 Policy Update
WEDNESDAY 12/16
TOP THREE
Schools Work to Speed Up Internet in Rural Homes for Remote Learning: Via WSJ:
Ms. Gomez, who lives in a small agricultural community in California’s Central Valley, often had to drive 20 minutes east to her sister-in-law’s home in Modesto so her children could connect to their first- and fifth-grade classes using their aunt’s home broadband.
At least 39 states have said they would use CARES Act funds to help school districts close the tech gap.
"Patterson Joint Unified School District used a private network developed by Motorola Solutions. Families can connect directly to schools’ internet as if they were in the building. The district has control over who accesses the network, and which websites users can access. The district provides families with a router and a modem that communicates with private wireless broadband run on the Citizens Broadband Radio Service. The Patterson school district has installed antennas—each with a radius of up to a mile—at six of its eight schools and plans to install two more. That should provide enough range to bring high-speed internet to all 6,000 of its students."
Economic Relief Package: It seems like we're really maybe possibly close to a deal:
Said Pelosi: “Tomorrow, we’ll be back early and we’ll be on schedule to get the job done.”
Said Schumer: "We are close to an agreement. We’re talking, we’re exchanging paper and ideas back and forth, making progress and hopefully we can come to an agreement soon.”
Said McConnell: “We’re making significant progress and I’m optimistic that we’re going to be able to complete an understanding sometime soon.
Said Thune: "The deal will include stimulus checks of $600 to $700 per individual."
Yes - that last quote is suggesting that direct cash payments may be part of the final package.
And then there's this: "Even if negotiators reach a deal Wednesday, clearing it through Congress by the Friday midnight deadline could be difficult. The House could vote as soon as Thursday, waiving its usual three-day rule for the review of legislation. The Senate would then have to secure unanimous consent among its 100 members to skip procedural hurdles and move to a final vote before the deadline. An objection from Sanders or any other senator could cause a brief government shutdown unless lawmakers agree to another short-term funding bill."
How To Keep Kids in School: Great op-ed from Kenneth Bourne II is a licensed Black male social worker and founder/CEO of ANEW:
"We’ve been able to improve 6th grade attendance from a little over 25 percent to above 95 percent, the highest rate for any grade in our school and nearly 56 percent better than district averages based on early data that shows just 61 percent of Philadelphia public school students are attending remote learning regularly."
"We didn’t focus on the attendance rate, but on our students and their families."
"Every time we reached out to students who were missing out on school, our goal was to understand what was happening—not what was wrong with them—in arriving at solutions together."
"We assumed every student wanted to come to school; in fact, we were sensitive to the fact that students could feel worse with every additional day they missed, concerned and increasingly anxious about not being able to catch up."
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Governors Rated Highest for Conveying Clear COVID-19 Plan: Via Gallup: "Since June, the public's positive views of their governors (between 50% and 56%) and Trump (between 28% and 35%) have been fairly stable, while views of the CDC have been slightly more variable, ranging from 25% to 36%."
State COVID Dashboards: Idaho and Michigan have added an important new metric to their dashboards: vaccine doses administered!
Who Individuals Trust on Vaccines: Morning Consult survey:
52% of adults said their family members could sway them to get a COVID-19 vaccine, while Dr. Anthony Fauci was the most influential public figure, at 45%.
Other than family, Black adults are most likely to be convinced to get a vaccine by President-elect Joe Biden (47%), while Hispanics listed Fauci (49%) as the top vaccine influencer.
STATE
California: Salinas girls who used Taco Bell for WiFi inspire new legislation.
Illinois: Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plan uncertain as hearing on teachers union injunction request which will be considered on Thursday.
Kentucky: High schoolers tutor younger students while they remain in remote learning
Massachusetts: The State says schools must give students live interaction daily.
Michigan: Detroit schools see 70% attendance during shift to all-virtual learning with Connected Futures devices
Minnesota: Gov. Walz announced a plan to allow elementary schools to open in exchange for keeping bars and restaurants closed to in-person service.
New Jersey: Newark schools going remote after increase in COVID cases
West Virginia: Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Bondy Shay Gibson announced their kids would have a snow day. The letter has become a viral sensation and ends with this:
So please, enjoy a day of sledding and hot chocolate and cozy fires. Take pictures of your kids in snow hats they will outgrow by next year and read books that you have wanted to lose yourself in, but haven’t had the time. We will return to the serious and urgent business of growing up on Thursday, but for tomorrow…go build a snowman.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Federal Reserve: The Fed raised its economic outlook and now sees 4.2% growth next year (up from 4.0%) and 5% unemployment rate.
Create an Office of Economic Opportunity: Richard Reeves argues the Biden Admin should create a White House Office of Economic Opportunity. Some notable +1's from AEI's Scott Winship and EIG's John Letterri.
Rework America Alliance: The Markle Foundation’s Rework America Alliance released the first of a new set of resources to help unemployed job seekers move into better jobs.
LEARNING PODS
Parent Protest: Huron Valley learning pods draws protest by parents who wonder why kids aren't in school
San Diego Using Pods: San Diego County Board of Education members say learning pods may be the best option.
RESOURCES
Education SuperHighway: Summarized their key learnings in a new report and also announced the Digital Bridge K-12 project to CCSSO.
Time to Act: The Data Quality Campaign’s 2020 research identified several key themes that will likely continue to frame education policy conversations in the new year. Following are five things to know heading into 2021.
How States Addressed Equity: New study in the Journal of Pediatrics of state COVID plans which found 44 of 51 states (86%) explicitly mentioned equity as a concern or guiding principle. At least 90% of states offered guidance for 7 equity issues. Fewer than 75% of states addressed homelessness or temporary housing, students involved with or on the verge of involvement with Department of Children and Family Services or an equivalent agency, and students/staff living with someone at greater risk of severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection:
Students with disabilities or special needs: 50 (98%)
Students at greater risk of severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection: 50 (98%)
Mental health support: 49 (96%)
Food insecurity and child nutrition: 48 (94%)
Lack of access to Internet/technology: 48 (94%)
Staff at greater risk of severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection: 47 (92%)
English-language learners: 46 (90%)
Homelessness, temporary housing: 36 (71%)
Students involved with or on the verge of involvement with the DCFS or equivalent agency: 31 (61%)
Give Parents Choice: Op-ed in Miami Herald: "In the age of COVID, give parents ‘school choice’ on best way to educate their children"
Because: you want to see a groundhog, taunting a dog, by eating a pizza.