COVID-19 Policy Update #284
COVID-19 Policy Update
FRIDAY 6/25
TOP THREE
It's an unexpectedly slow news day...like COVID was on PTO or something. So we'll just skip to a few items and let you get on with your weekend.
FEDERAL
White House: A GREAT profile on former CZIer Chandler West: A heart transplant at 18. The White House at 31.
Fun Fact: Chandler took one of my headshots.
DNI: Released their report on UFOs, but offers no evidence of aliens. Has nothing to do with COVID or education, but I find this interesting.
STATE
Iowa: What will stick around after the pandemic?
"I think my unsuccessful moments were when I tried to teach online in a traditional way," said Whitver. "So it was quick to learn that you couldn't do it. And you couldn't teach remotely in the traditional way that you would do it in person with students. It's not a traditional setting, you had to get creative and you have to think outside the box."
"One of our biggest takeaways for remote learning will have an impact whether we're in the classroom or learning remotely, but that was student engagement because we could have the very best online lesson prepared," said Latham. "But if we weren't able to build relationships with that student and have a relationship through the camera, then the lesson really never landed."
Michigan: Michigan health department releases new mask and physical distance recommendations for schools which mostly points to CDC guidance.
New York: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday that the positivity rate among 1.5 million COVID tests was just .03%.
Pennsylvania: Lawmakers pass a bill allowing students to repeat year because of COVID-19
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Q2 GDP Forecasts: 8% to 10%
Personal Income: Decreased 2.0% in May, Spending increased slightly.
The $670 Billion College-Industrial Complex Is Under Threat From Online School: Via the WSJ
"American colleges and universities recorded their largest drop in cash inflows in decades this past academic year, thanks to a big drop in enrollment and a lack of room-and-board revenue from the students who did enroll but took their courses online."
"Researchers at The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia estimate that higher-education institutions will lose revenue of between $70 billion and $115 billion over the next five years as a result of the pandemic."
"And perhaps most alarming for the college-industrial complex, Google has launched certificate programs that it says it will treat as the equivalent of four-year college for hiring purposes."
The Rise of "Third Workplaces": As the world begins to move past the pandemic but holds onto remote work, we're seeing the rise of "third workplaces" — teleworking spots in cafes, hotels or co-working spaces.
The Great Reallocation of American Talent: Via Washington Post:
"Initially, workers seemed to be sorting into new careers out of necessity; two-thirds of unemployed workers in January said they were seriously considering changing their occupation or field, presumably so they could get a paycheck again. Increasingly, those switches look like deliberate choices — made by those who already had secure employment — in response to better opportunities."
"In April, nearly 4 million people quit their jobs, the highest level of monthly “quits” since the government began keeping track two decades ago."
"Perhaps counterintuitively, high levels of resignations are a sign of optimism. Workers feel confident enough to quit because they know other positions are out there — positions with better pay, more flexible hours, maybe even more rewarding responsibilities. Quitters, it seems, can indeed prosper"
"One hint that there’s a more radical reshuffling afoot is the high share of workers who say they want a more drastic change. Prudential’s recent Pulse of the American Worker Survey, for instance, found that half of workers say the pandemic has made them rethink the kind of job they want going forward. The same share say they’d retrain for a career in a different field if they had the opportunity."
State of Jobless Benefits: A total of 26 states will have phased out extra unemployment benefits by July 31.
RESOURCES
The Consumer’s Guide to Data: Via DQC
It's the Weekend: Find someone who cheers for you the way Krew cheers for King.