COVID Brief: What Happens When the U.S. Ends the Public Health Emergency in 97 Days?
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This is our weekly update on the pandemic, which has been verified by John Bailey. You can access the complete collection of previous updates.
Top Story of the Week
White House Plans to Terminate COVID Public Health Emergency on May 11
The White House has made an announcement stating that the public health emergency for COVID-19 will come to an end on May 11.
Administration Policy Statement
For a comprehensive list of the implications of the end of the emergency on policies, refer to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Education Perspective: According to a Biden administration official, the termination of the health emergency will not affect the legal argument for canceling student loan debt. They explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on millions of student borrowers who may have fallen behind on their loans during the emergency.
The conclusion of the COVID-19 emergency will result in new expenses and difficulties. Politico has compiled a useful list detailing the implications.
Individuals may be required to cover the costs of COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments. Those without health insurance will need to pay out-of-pocket, while those with private plans may incur additional expenses depending on their coverage terms.
Employers will no longer be able to provide telehealth access as a separate, tax-free benefit in addition to other health plans.
Various administrative rules that facilitated access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will expire.
Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, has provided a helpful thread explaining the implications of the May 11 deadline.
The Key Points
Eamonn Fitzmaurice/
Pandemic Led to Students Losing One-Third of a School Year
According to a recent global analysis, children have experienced learning deficiencies equivalent to approximately one-third of a school year’s worth of knowledge and skills due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These losses have persisted for over two years.
Thomas Kane, the faculty director of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard, reviewed the global analysis and warned that without immediate and aggressive intervention, "learning loss will be the longest-lasting and most inequitable legacy of the pandemic."
Another study examining test scores of 2.1 million students in the United States highlighted the impact of economic disparities. Students attending schools in high-poverty communities spent more time learning remotely during the 2020-2021 school year compared to students in wealthier areas. Additionally, students in disadvantaged schools experienced greater declines in academic performance during remote learning.
presents four key takeaways from these findings.
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
A study demonstrates the effectiveness of the Connecticut Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) in reducing absenteeism, particularly among secondary school students.
FutureEd emphasizes the significance of this research for two reasons. Firstly, it showcases a powerful intervention for improving student attendance, which is crucial for academic recovery. Secondly, it highlights another initiative in Connecticut that utilizes federal aid to establish a research consortium capable of producing prompt and actionable results to guide district-level efforts.
Fifteen school districts received funding for Connecticut’s LEAP program, which they utilized to employ school staff and community organizers to visit nearly 8,700 chronically absent students and their families at their homes or other locations. Interestingly, one district opted to target entire neighborhoods rather than solely focusing on students with the most severe absenteeism issues, but this approach resulted in minimal changes in attendance patterns.
Eamonn Fitzmaurice/
Current Challenges in Schools: Teacher Shortages, Altered Meal Plans, Delays in Bus Transportation, and Canceled Classes
As reported by , this is the new reality in schools nationwide. While classes have resumed in person, day-to-day operations deviate significantly from pre-pandemic norms. The lasting effects of the COVID crisis present numerous challenges including staffing shortages, student mental health concerns, and adjustments to school meal provisions.
In one Florida city located between Orlando and Tampa, a high school student must wake up before 5 a.m., deprived of sleep but driven by a sense of urgency to catch the Wesley Chapel bus by 5:59 a.m. in order to arrive at school by 7:06 a.m. The school has adjusted its start time as a result of hurricane days and remote learning.
Federal Updates
The Department of Education has allocated a significant amount of funding, totaling $63 million, to enhance community schools and provide comprehensive support for students, educators, and families in terms of social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs. This initiative aims to expand the resources and services available to improve the overall well-being and success of individuals within the education system. (Official Press Release)
Additionally, the White House has released a toolkit that complements these efforts and provides guidance on implementing the aforementioned strategies.
During a speech, Secretary Miguel Cardona of the Department of Education emphasized the main focus areas of the program "Raise the Bar: Lead the World." This press release highlights the key points and objectives outlined in his remarks. (Official Press Release)
The Institute of Education Sciences has announced a rewarded initiative for AI-augmented learning specifically tailored to individuals with disabilities. This program aims to leverage technological advancements to create personalized and inclusive education experiences.
COVID-19 Research
Aiming to streamline and optimize COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, the vaccine advisory group of the Food and Drug Administration unanimously recommended replacing the original COVID vaccine with bivalent Omicron shots for all doses, including the primary and booster series. This decision follows the proposal of adopting a system similar to the annual flu shot updates, where a specific vaccine formulation is selected in June to target the dominant variant expected in the fall and winter seasons, ensuring consistency and effectiveness. This update has been extensively covered by CNBC, CIDRAP, NPR, and Stat, which shared a live blog of the meeting.
Understanding the need for ongoing protection against COVID-19, the FDA presented information regarding the necessity of annual COVID-19 boosters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed data indicating that the majority of hospitalizations and deaths occur among older adults. However, it was surprising to note that infants under 6 months and individuals aged 50-64 years exhibit similar hospitalization rates. This underscores the significance of maternal vaccination during pregnancy. Furthermore, the data suggests that bivalent vaccines have shown promising results. Adults who received a bivalent booster had a significantly lower risk of hospitalization and mortality compared to those who only received the initial vaccination. Both options were proven to be more effective than no vaccination at all. Notably, Moderna’s new data from a randomized trial in the U.K. supports the superiority of the bivalent vaccine in comparison to the original vaccine. Novavax also presented their insights on vaccine effectiveness, demonstrating the compatibility of their vaccine with mRNA vaccines in various combinations.
New Study Affirms Safety and Efficacy of Vaccines for Children
A recent study highlighted by ABC News reveals that two doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectively reduce the risk of infection, as well as the likelihood of developing multisystem inflammatory syndrome and experiencing COVID-19 related hospitalizations among school-aged children. The study indicated that vaccinated children had lower infection rates and exhibited milder symptoms in case of infection. The occurrence of severe adverse reactions to the vaccine was rare, with any localized injection irritation subsiding within a few days. These findings provide reassurance to parents and guardians concerned about the potential side effects of vaccination. Additionally, the study found a small increase in the risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) among vaccinated children. However, the incidence rate was comparable to or slightly higher than the rate of myocarditis among children prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
City & State News
Arizona: A for Arizona has announced additional recipients of the Arizona Transportation Modernization Grant Program. This initiative seeks to enhance transportation services, ensuring reliable and safe transportation for students. The application for the final round of grants remains open until March 29.
Illinois: Public school enrollment in Illinois continues to decline. Preliminary data released by the Illinois State Board of Education indicates a decrease of around 31,000 students, equivalent to a 1.7% drop, between the previous and current school year, as of December 14. Notably, Chicago Public Schools accounts for a significant portion of this decline, with a loss of 9,000 students, causing it to lose its status as the third-largest school district in the country.
Indiana: Test scores in the Indianapolis district have shown improvement and are approaching pre-pandemic levels. However, significant progress is still required to achieve the educational goals set for 2025.
"According to a report from The Education Trust – Midwest, students in Lansing and Saginaw experienced a loss of knowledge equivalent to a year’s worth of math and reading lessons. In Birmingham, students missed out on about a fifth of a school year’s worth of education."
"A recent report from the Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration in North Carolina revealed that students who had teachers with a track record of strong student outcomes performed better on the state’s End-of-Grade and End-of-Course exams in the 2020-21 school year."
"The Washington Post highlights a serious teacher shortage in rural areas of Mississippi and other Southern states. Students in rural Mississippi rely on recorded lessons and often have to teach themselves challenging subjects like chemistry."
"Mississippi has the most severe teacher shortage among the 37 states analyzed in a recent study by Brown University’s Annenberg Institute for School Reform. For every 10,000 students in Mississippi, there are 69 unfilled teacher positions or positions filled by individuals without traditional credentials. In comparison, the ratio in Missouri is 159 times lower."
"A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reveals that school districts have accelerated their spending of federal COVID-19 aid after a slow start. In May, only 7% of the $122 billion in federal funding had been utilized, but that number has now risen to approximately 25%."
"Illinois has spent around 32% of its $4.8 billion federal pandemic relief funds and is on track to meet the deadline for exhaustion. The largest portion of the funds is being allocated to salaries, accounting for nearly 37% of the expenditures."
"The New York City school system, the largest in the country, has spent over a third of the $4.8 billion it received in federal pandemic relief. More than $1.5 billion has been invested in academic recovery efforts, particularly literacy programs."
"A recent survey conducted by Pew reveals that modern parents spend more time and money on their children compared to past generations. Working mothers now dedicate as much time to their children as stay-at-home mothers did in the 1970s. This, coupled with the increasing demands of careers, has put additional pressure on college-educated mothers."
"The LA Times questions the value of extra learning days in Los Angeles schools, which cost approximately $611 per day per student for up to two additional ‘acceleration days.’ Despite heavy promotion, only 17% of students enrolled, and less than 9% attended the extra days of schooling. Challenges arose for teachers who didn’t have sufficient access to rosters and student data for effective planning."
"In a heartwarming story, 100-year-old Peter Davies volunteers his time to teach elementary school children how to read. The UK government recently recognized his efforts with an award, and his reaction was filled with joy and gratitude. The video of his reaction has touched many hearts."
Please note: John Bailey serves as an advisor to the Walton Family Foundation, which offers financial assistance to .
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