Schools

The national conversation over K-12 schooling in the context of the pandemic continues fervently, including then President-Elect Joe Biden’s December pledge to reopen most school buildings for in-person instruction as swiftly as possible. New evidence from parent surveys provides an Read More
This week, two new modeling studies contribute new evidence to the conversation about in-person schooling during the pandemic. Both pre-prints (which means they have not yet been peer-reviewed), the studies consider several dimensions of in-person schooling to simulate COVID-19 spread Read More
To date in the COVID-19 pandemic, there has not been reliable, nationwide data on parent experiences with their children’s schooling. Last week, however, researchers released results from a large, nationally representative parent survey, conducted from November to early December 2020. Read More
This week’s post focuses on employment effects of pandemic-induced school closures, a topic covered previously in October and December posts. COVID-19 disruptions have created a difficult balancing act for working parents, and evidence shows that the challenges are particularly acute Read More
MUST READ POLICY PIECES: This week, the New Yorker published “The Plague Year” by Lawrence Wright, a tour-de-force piece of reporting on the nation’s pandemic response. Having read a great deal of policy-related reporting on the outbreak, I believe this Read More
Researchers very recently released two studies—both generating a lot of attention—providing new evidence on the role of in-person schooling in community spread of COVID-19. This emerging research advances our collective understanding of schools and COVID-19 spread as the most rigorous Read More
COVID-19 Vaccines  The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine received an Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for use in adults. On Saturday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which offers guidance to the CDC concerning vaccine policy, unanimously Read More
This week’s post focuses on schools as a source of free- and reduced-price meals for children, and the disruption the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought on that function, just as families with children are facing increased levels of food insecurity. Innovation Read More
As the fall term of the 2020–21 school year draws to a close, the evidence on students’ academic progress amidst pandemic disruptions and on COVID spread in schools is mounting. Learning Losses A new report from McKinsey & Company, released Read More
This week, we revisit some recurring topics as more evidence emerges on important questions of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected student learning and the labor force participation of mothers of school-age children. Learning Progress in the Time of COVID-19 Read More

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