COVID-19 Policy Update #295
COVID-19 Policy Update
WEDNESDAY 7/14
TOP THREE
By Fall, Every Child Should Have An Individualized Learning Plan: Via Michael Horn
Summer Camps Hit With COVID Outbreaks — Are Schools Next? Asks the AP
Missed Learning In Indiana: Missed learning:
"Only 28.6% of Hoosier third through eighth graders tested this spring were found proficient in two key subject areas, English/language arts and math. That's compared to 37.1% in 2019."
"Only 7.5% of third through eighth graders in the South Bend Community School Corp. tested proficient in both English/language arts and math this year."
More at ChalkBeat
FEDERAL
Reconciliation: Democrats agree on $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation
"The legislation Democrats are preparing is expected to mirror elements of Mr. Biden’s proposals, which called for an extension of an expanded child tax credit, universal prekindergarten and tax incentives for clean-energy investments. Mr. Schumer said the Democratic bill would also expand Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing care, a provision championed by Mr. Sanders and other progressives."
"Raising enough revenue to cover the cost of the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion package will likely prove challenging for lawmakers. Mr. Biden proposed increasing the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%, tightening the net on U.S. companies’ foreign earnings and raising the top capital-gains rate to 43.4% from 23.8% to cover the cost of his roughly $4 trillion agenda over 15 years."
“Democratic leaders are gaming out several scenarios for muscling through the behemoth one-party spending bill given their razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate,” Politico reports.
ED: Released an FAQ for Using American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Full-Service Community Schools & Related Strategies
COVID-19 RESEARCH
"To Shut the Wife Up": That was why one white, 65-year-old Michigan man told the Kaiser Family Foundation's polling team he finally got a vaccine. KFF survey results / Axios article
"My husband bugged me to get it and I gave in," a 42-year-old white Republican woman from Indiana said, after reporting in January that she was "definitely not" getting the vaccine in January.
"My family persuaded me because of my sick kids," said a 28-year-old Hispanic female and Democrat from Texas, who in January was going to "wait and see."
"Bahamas trip required a COVID shot," a 43-year-old Hispanic male from Pennsylvania said.
“Almost all of my friends were vaccinated with no side effects.” – 64 year old, female, black, Democrat, Tennessee (“wait and see” in January)
“That it was clearly safe. No one was dying” – 32 year old, male, white, Republican, South Carolina (“wait and see” in January)
“Five generations of our family are getting together in one week from now.” – 68 year old, male, white, Democrat, California (“wait and see” in January)
“COVID was not the pandemic it was made out to be and I am not getting vaccinated for it” – 26 year old, female, white, Republican, Iowa (“ASAP” in January)
“This event seems more and more just like the flu. Everyone is exposed and has the same chance of getting it. I never got a flu vaccine either. This whole mask thing is a joke. Most people wear them beneath their nose or even chin. This event is over for me except as mandated to me by those above me who control me in some way such as employer.” – 58 year old, male, black, independent, Alabama (“wait and see” in January)
Long COVID and Kids: Via Nature - scientists race to find answers.
"Data released by the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) in February and updated in April also sparked concern. They showed that 9.8% of children aged 2–11 years and 13% aged 12–16 years reported at least one lingering symptom five weeks after a positive diagnosis."
"Hardelid tapped into data gathered by the Virus Watch study, which tracks infections and symptoms in more than 23,000 households across England and Wales. As they reported in a preprint in June, she and her colleagues found that 4.6% of children with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection had persistent symptoms lasting more than four weeks."
Community Ambassador Kit: Resources from the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative for conversations with the vaccine curious in your community
STATE
Arizona: Arizona Department of Education and ASU Prep Digital develop three-year partnership to bolster math outcomes
California: Gov. Newsom signs budget which includes:
$4 billion plan for a mental health and behavior system that will provide screenings, counseling and therapy from birth through age 25.
Expansion of community schools
$3 billion for staff development and teacher recruitment targeted to low-income schools that struggle to attract and retain teachers.
$2.7 billion transitional kindergarten program for all 4-year-olds in the state by 2025, and adding 200,000 more subsidized child care spaces
$3.25 billion to build “middle-mile” broadband lines, which connect the greater highway of broadband service to the “last mile,” and $2 billion for last-mile lines that connect to end users in rural and urban areas.
$600 stimulus payments for those making less than $75,000
Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Education released COVID-19 guidance for upcoming school year (and FAQ)
Classes are expected to maintain spacing of 3ft.
Masking policies will be determined by local school governing authorities. "LDH’s current recommendation, based on CDC guidelines, is that all unvaccinated adults and students in grades 3 through 12 should wear a face covering to the greatest extent possible and practical within the local community context.
Missouri: Students at most St. Louis-area Roman Catholic schools will not be required to wear masks this fall.
Tennessee: A passionate mom at MNPS board of education meeting. Worth watching the video.
"What we're asking for is what are you going to do with the stuff in the dashboard?"
"We have fought long and hard enough for our children."
"Our children have hit school yards, prison yards, and graveyards. And we're tired. And all we're asking is for a plan - a personalized learning plan."
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
More People Than Ever Died Of Drug Overdoses In 2020: 93,000 in 2020. "The 29.4% increase is an alarming jump from 2019, which also set a record after 71,000 people died from drug overdoses.”
Unemployed: Morning Consult survey exploring reasons for turning down job offers while unemployed.
"Of those actively collecting unemployment benefits, 29% said they turned down job offers during the pandemic. In response to a follow-up question, 45% of that group said they turned down jobs specifically because of the generosity of the benefits."
"About 1.8 million out-of-work Americans have turned down jobs because of the generosity of unemployment insurance benefits."
Inflation: Updated chart on the price changes and inflation trends
Gaming: ESA report which estimates the overall gaming population at 227 million, up from 214 million last year. (Deck)
The average age of the American gamer is 31 (80% over 18).
66% of parents believe that video games made the transition to distance learning easier.
59% of parents said their child used educational games during the pandemic. (62% math, 48% science, 46% english language arts)
RESOURCES
Americans' Confidence in Major U.S. Institutions Dips: Via Gallup
Public schools dropped the most from 2020-2021
"Republicans have far more confidence than Democrats in the police and the church. Meanwhile, Democrats' confidence in the other eight institutions outpaces Republicans' by double digits."
The Covid-19 Pandemic Is a Lousy Natural Experiment for Studying the Effects of Online Learning: Via EdNext
How Are States Spending Their COVID Education Relief Funds?: Via The 74 on a FutureEd analysis.
Daughter Gets A Waterslide For Her Birthday Party: But the dog has more fun with it.