Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Continued Chaos Around School Reopenings
The Wall Street Journal: New York City Delays School Reopening
Just days before New York City schools were supposed to reopen, the city said Tuesday it would delay the start of in-person learning by more than a week, after reaching a last-minute deal with the teachers union that averts the threat of a strike. The nation’s largest school district was one of the few big districts trying to open on-time with students back in the classroom. It plans to let some students take classes online from home every day, while others learn remotely part of the week and go into school some days, under what is called a hybrid model. (Honan and Brody, 9/1)
NPR: New York City Reaches Deal With Teachers Union, Will Reopen Schools On Sept. 21
The union, which represents most of the city's educators, had been on the brink of voting whether to authorize a strike over safety precautions related to the coronavirus. The new agreement is aimed at addressing health concerns for educators and their students. "Teachers who usually get two days of professional development at the beginning of the school year ... will now get nine," schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said at a joint news conference Tuesday morning with de Blasio and labor officials. (Chappell, 9/1)
Politico: How New York City’s Schools Plan Fell Short
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s about face was all but inevitable. His unwavering determination to partially reopen the biggest school system in the U.S. had been met with weeks of skepticism over his administration’s ability to pull off such a feat amid a still-lethal threat from Covid-19. The teachers union threatened to strike, principals across New York City were furious, parents were exasperated and scrambling for clarity, and city and state elected officials lined up to demand the mayor delay his plans to reopen schools on Sept. 10, like most of the country’s big-city school districts had already done. For weeks, de Blasio refused to budge, dismissing the naysayers and projecting confidence in his decision. On Tuesday, he caved. (Toure and Niedzwiadek, 9/1)
In other education news —
Los Angeles Times: UC Must Immediately Drop Use Of The SAT And ACT, Judge Rules
The University of California must immediately suspend all use of SAT and ACT test scores for admission and scholarship decisions under a preliminary injunction issued by an Alameda County Superior Court judge. “The barriers faced by students with disabilities have been greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic, which has disrupted test-taking locations, closed schools and limited access to school counselors,” the judge said. (Watanabe, 9/1)
Houston Chronicle: Pearland ISD Quiz Question Asking Students If COVID Is A 'Scam' Draws Criticism From Parents
Pearland ISD has removed a controversial question from a recent online quiz given to junior high science students that asked if the COVID-19 pandemic was a "scam," according to an email sent out to parents and community members. (Hennes, 9/1)
AP: Virus Cases Prompt 3 Schools To Suspend In-Person Learning
The largest school district in Alaska to open for in-person classes has shifted to online learning only for three schools after five new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed. The new infections emerged among three schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, Alaska Public Media reported. (9/2)
NPR: Kids With ADHD Need Extra Support From Parents When School's Online
COVID-19 forced Keriann Wilmot's son to trade his classroom for a computer. It was a tough transition for a 10-year-old with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. "It was a different environment for him," Wilmot says. "He wasn't used to this kind of work from school coming in the format of an email in his Chromebook every single day." Her son would avoid math and writing and instead go straight to his favorite subjects: science and social studies. But even then, online assignments could be a problem. (Hamilton, 9/1)
Dallas Morning News: Daily Screenings, Face Masks And Quarantine Protocols: Richardson ISD Details Return To Classrooms
Richardson ISD has issued a detailed list of COVID-19 safety protocols for students returning to in-person instruction this month, asking parents to screen their children daily and outlining the classroom procedure that will be followed if a student tests positive for the virus. Online instruction for all students in Richardson ISD began on Aug. 19, with in-person classes picking back up on a staggered schedule: The youngest students return on Sept. 8, grades 7 and 8 on Sept. 14 and high school on Sept. 21. (Webster, 9/1)
The Washington Post: Students In England Fell Behind By Average Of Three Months During Coronavirus Lockdown, Study Finds
Students in England fell behind by an average of three months during coronavirus-mandated school closures, a study released Tuesday found, giving weight to concerns over the urgency of a return to classrooms, in Britain and around the world. Of school faculty members who participated in the National Foundation for Educational Research study, 98 percent said their students had fallen behind since March, when schools switched to remote learning amid a nationwide shutdown. (Noori Farzan and Taylor, 9/1)
Also —
The New York Times: Federal Government Relaxes Rules On Feeding Low-Income Students
The Agriculture Department, under pressure from Congress and officials in school districts across the country, said on Monday that it would allow schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to any child or teenager through the end of 2020, provided funding lasts. Advocates for the poor hailed the announcement as an important step to ensure that more needy children are fed during the coronavirus pandemic. It was a partial reversal by the department. (Taylor, 8/31)
