COVID-19 Policy Update #286
COVID-19 Policy Update
TUESDAY 6/29
TOP THREE
Disparities in Learning: New report from the CDC:
"Reduced access to in-person learning is associated with poorer learning outcomes and adverse mental health and behavioral effects in children."
"Disparities in full-time in-person learning by race/ethnicity existed across school levels and by geographic region and state. These disparities underscore the importance of prioritizing equitable access to this learning mode for the 2021–22 school year."
Massive differences in different parts of the country. More students (including students of color) were in-person in the south than in the west and north east.
State-by-state data here.
Emergency Connectivity Fund: The FCC officially opened the application window for schools and libraries to file applications for the $7.17 billion fund aimed at closing the homework gap.
Schools and libraries can apply for financial support to purchase laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connections to serve unmet needs for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons.
From June 29 to August 13, eligible schools and libraries can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services for the 2021-22 school year.
Education Superhighway has the best guides, resources, and webinars on the program.
Delta:
In Los Angeles County, the pace of Delta's spread has prompted officials to reinstate mask guidance for public indoor spaces -- regardless of vaccination status.
In the UK, 375,000 students absent due to Delta cases - highest number since children returned in March
15,000 pupils at home who are confirmed Covid cases
24,000 suspected cases
279,000 self-isolating due to potential contact in school
57,000 self-isolating due to potential contact in the community
Also, the Covid control system in England's schools, where groups of pupils have to self-isolate if one tests positive, could be scrapped in the autumn. Ministers are looking at asking secondary schools to introduce daily testing instead.
FEDERAL
NCES: Total K-12 enrollment dropped by roughly 3% in 2020-21 compared with the previous school year. More via The 74
IES: Mark Schneider: To Build a STEM Workforce, We Must Invest in Education Science. But a Bill Congress Is Considering Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Eviction Moratorium
CDC will extend the moratorium a month.
SCOTUS allows the moratorium to remain in place. The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Brett Kavanaugh in the majority.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
How To Read Data: Great post: “half of infected people were vaccinated,” which is very different from “half of vaccinated people were infected."
INTERNATIONAL
Rwanda: Schools will be closed in the capital Kigali and eight other virus hotspots for two weeks starting July 1
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Putting America Back to Work Fund: Ryan Craig and Daniel Pianko announce $180 million fund to create faster pathways to good jobs.
2U/EdX: 2U will acquire substantially all of edX’s assets for $800 million.
"Together, 2U and edX will reach over 50 million learners globally, serve more than 230 partners, and offer over 3,500 digital programs on the world's most comprehensive free-to-degree online education marketplace."
Trace Urdan has a good take on the deal.
Also - MIT and U.S. Department of Defense team up to launch a new edX learning platform
The True Cost of Child Care: New estimates from CAP.
Census Data Shows Households Saved Economic Impact Payments: Via the Tax Foundation
RESOURCES
Catholic Schools: More than 200 schools closed permanently, and enrollment at the 5,981 remaining schools fell by 6.4% -- or more than 111,000 students – for the 2020-2021 academic year, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.
Survey of Black Parents: From Morning Consult/EdChoice: Brief / Crosstabs
Black parents remain less likely than both White and Hispanic parents to either vaccinate themselves or their children.
Roughly half of Black Parents believe it will be safe to send children back to school for in person classes by September 2021. But - 31% said it will take longer than by September.
This Baby Sleeping, Dreaming: And saying mama is everything.