SERIES: COVID-19’s Long-Term Policy Implications - COVID-19’s Impact on Short- and Long-Term Changes to the Education System
The COVID-19 pandemic has rightly become the sole focus of the public health policy world, but it is also having far reaching effects into policy landscapes way beyond healthcare. This blog post is the ninth in a series that will explore how COVID-19 is changing American life, and as a result, impacting various policy areas. This series will explore changing American attitudes, examine new policy ideas, and project on legislative and regulatory activity we may see as a result of the virus in the months ahead.
The COVID-19 pandemic has become the primary focus of today’s media and has forced industries to adapt to meet the public’s demand for solutions. Education systems throughout the world have felt the whiplash of this historic event. The majority of educational programs have taken to digital mediums, from transforming kindergarten programs into engaging online formats to adapting graduate programs to utilize new teaching methods.
As the pandemic has progressed, short-term solutions that were initially proposed to meet the immediate challenges facing academia are beginning to evolve into longer-lasting policies that are likely to change how educational programs are designed, delivered, and understood for years to come.
Distance Learning and the Homework Gap
Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in the U.S., home education has churned up significant problems with regard to students’ ability to access internet service from home. In 1996, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), authored the E-Rate program, established as part of the 1996 Telecommunication Act. This program was the beginning of the government’s efforts towards providing internet access to schools and libraries. Although more than $52 billion has been allocated towards improving internet access since the E-Rate program’s inception, nearly 12 million students across the country still lack basic internet access.
While it has long existed, COVID-19 has made the “homework gap” more visible, as throughout the country, students are unable to access homework assignments online. This gap has also called attention to financial disparities between school districts, as those in wealthier communities are more likely to continue to thrive, while those living in poverty have been more limited in near-term solutions for promoting adequate education during the crisis. In some cases, inactive school buses have been turned into roving Wi-Fi hotspots and deployed to residential neighborhoods. These mobile hotspots have allowed for students who lack internet access at home the ability to continue their educational endeavors during these unprecedented times.
The Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, House Democrats’ opening hand in negotiations on the next COVID-19 relief package, allocates $1.5 billion in emergency appropriations to close the homework gap by providing funding for Wi-Fi hotspots and connected devices for students and libraries and $4 billion for home connectivity needs. Further, the authorizing language drafted by Democratic House Energy and Commerce Committee staff provides $5 billion to be administered by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-Rate program for schools and libraries to provide internet service, connected devices, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, and routers to support distance learning.
As both Democrats and Republicans acknowledge the need for greater internet connectivity to support distance learning, the final version of the next COVID measure, expected to pass sometime in June, is likely to make some strides in closing the homework gap. A future infrastructure package might also include longer-term provisions to boost rural broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved parts of the country, where distance learning has been especially difficult.
K-12 Education: Primary and Secondary Education Systems
America’s students, their families, teachers, and school administrators are uncertain about when primary and secondary schools can safely reopen with the appropriate precautions against COVID-19. For example, one Michigan poll found that 70 percent of parents agreed with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to close classrooms for the remainder of the school year. Additionally, leading teachers unions, such as the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), have said they would support strikes if schools reopen without measures in place to protect against the virus and against the advice of medical experts.
In recent days, we have seen President Trump using his office to encourage primary and secondary schools to quickly reopen their doors. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has cautioned that while children have not been as significantly impacted by the virus, they are still at risk. Dr. Fauci has pointed to emerging research that has unveiled the presence of a rare inflammatory illness in children coinciding with COVID-19 infections.
In the meantime, state governments and individual school systems are working to develop ways to continue educating the youth of America as the fight against the virus continues. With administrators and teachers eager to serve their students, some states are looking to adjust their academic calendars. For example, California has proposed opening schools earlier for the upcoming academic year, while Maryland is considering transitioning to year-round schooling on a quarterly basis. Other schools are contemplating staggering class times to reduce overcrowding.
When schools do reopen, structural changes, and potentially infrastructure investments, will also be needed to ensure proper social distancing. For example, new desk arrangements may need to be implemented. Additionally, the use of cafeterias and gymnasiums has been called into question, along with the continuation of contact sports. We could also see schools requiring temperature checks and the wearing of masks for students and faculty members.
Although it seems local governments are the ones pioneering the path forward, the federal government has sought to make funding available to support both public and private educational institutions. However, greater oversight of assistance funding may be needed given criticism of award criteria that is focused on educational plans, rather than the number of COVID-19 cases in a school district. Some have argued these criteria are funneling stimulus resources primarily to private schools, rather than the public schools that likely need more help in responding to the pandemic.
Education Sec. Betsy DeVos is also leveraging the COVID-19 crisis to continue to advocate for school vouchers, which some worry has the potential to help only private schools sustain their capital flow. Public education advocates argue voucher assistance would be detrimental to the K-12 public education system, which has disproportionately struggled in its effort to deliver education during the time of COVID-19.
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities
Both students and academic institutions have faced obstacles since colleges and universities ended in-person education when community transmission of COVID-19 began in the U.S. Many of these schools were forced in short order to pursue efforts to make college-level education accessible to students in virtual, remote settings.
Signed into law on March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), included measures to eliminate the financial burdens facing students and institutions. Overall, the CARES Act provided roughly $100 billion in education support, including $90 billion for state governments to award to K-12 schools and public colleges, $10 billion for higher education institutions, and $1.7 billion for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Additionally, the CARES Act sought to compensate students for missed work-study opportunities, provide emergency aid to students facing unexpected financial expenses, and change eligibility requirements for financial aid in order to support those in need of assistance because of COVID-19. The law also included major provisions on student loans, such as language suspending loan payments and interest accrual through September.
While these measures were enacted to relieve some of the financial burdens for students, the pandemic has led some to question the value of a higher degree, especially in the current economy. As a result, dropout rates are on the rise and low enrollment rates are expected in the fall. Those students who COVID-19 has forced out of the higher education system are now facing the harsh realization that their earning potential in the job market will be significantly decreased due to the current crisis. By some estimates, every year of additional schooling equates to approximately 10 percent in future earnings.
Similar to primary schools, institutions of higher learning are also confronting the challenges associated with planning for the new academic year, as well as the need to balance public health risks with the threat of institutional economic collapse.
Some schools have already announced they plan to continue offering virtual classes. For example, fearing a second wave of the virus later this year, the chancellor of California State University recently announced the majority of programs will be held on virtual forums during the fall term. Other colleges and universities remain optimistic about reopening for in-person classes at some point this year but are examining new social distancing and safety protocols, such as mandated virus testing, the use of hybrid course structures, limiting the number of students who may return to campus, and banning large social gatherings.
Many college students are eager to return to campus. In fact, a recent poll found that 65 percent of students surveyed have a preference for in-person classes this fall, even without widespread distribution of a proven COVID-19 vaccine. With prospects of a vaccine being available in time for the fall semester very slim, universities are approaching a cliff for making hard decisions about the future of their academic programs. It is important to recognize that colleges and universities that welcome students to return to campus will be instituting new mandates and offering a very different college experience.
Affordability of the Undergraduate Degree
With the number of students attending school in the fall unpredictable due to the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, both students and universities are exploring various scenarios and potential financial solutions for fall term enrollment. College tuition prices have been trending upward in recent years. As a result of the public health crisis and the economic downturn that has ensued, cost and proximity to home are today the most important factors as students make enrollment decisions. Increasingly, students are questioning whether the cost of tuition is equivalent to the level of education they will receive in a digital format.
That said, one study estimates enrollment at universities for the fall 2020 semester will decrease by 15 percent, resulting in institutional budget shortfalls. More specifically, this analysis suggests a 15 percent drop in first-year undergraduate enrollment, paired with a modest five percent decline in domestic non-first-year undergraduates, could lead to almost $7 billion in lost tuition and fee revenues. Even more extreme, an overall decline of 20 percent across all undergraduates could result in $9 billion in lost tuition and fee revenues alone.
As the economic fallout from the pandemic continues, many undergraduate institutions have publicly said they cannot afford to lower the price of admissions. Instead, colleges and universities are exploring alternative strategies to populate their student bodies. For example, Cornell University is proactively reaching out to students on their waitlist to gauge their interest in enrolling this fall. Universities have also returned to the practice of poaching students, which has been strongly discouraged in past recruiting practices.
Acknowledging COVID-19 is leading students to question the value and affordability of seeking an undergraduate degree at an accredited institution, many schools are seeking to implement new financial policies intended to keep enrollment and tuition revenue up as the economy recovers. Already, some schools have taken steps to extend deposit dates for first-year students. Other institutions are broadening their acceptance criteria to meet recruitment targets.
Trade Schools and Vocational Programs
While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in near consensus on the need to improve access to traditional education programs, less attention has been paid to the role of vocational schools in fighting the virus and how they might be impacted in the future.
Around the country, trade schools focused on certain specialties have fulfilled a crucial function in providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to first responders. For example, since April 20, vocational schools throughout Massachusetts have been able to donate 13,000 masks and 140,000 gloves, as well as additional supportive material, to the medical field. With the virus temporarily halting many vocational programs, specialty schools have been able to redirect their resources to aid the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Looking ahead, experts who have been monitoring the economic impacts of COVID-19 are beginning to share research predicting increased interest in trades education, as the pandemic has clearly identified these types of skills as essential to the current and future global economy. With the public beginning to question the value of higher education programs, vocational schools could increasingly be viewed as an appealing option in the U.S.
There is already some evidence of this phenomenon in China, where the Shanghai-based Hurun Research Institute has discovered an uptick in vocational training as the Chinese economy reopens. Studying a trade has become the most prevalent form of education in post-COVID-19 Chinese society, followed by home tutoring, higher education programs, language training programs, and K-12 schools.
Education in the Campaigns
Both the Biden and Trump presidential campaigns have adjusted their stances on education policy to address the new academic reality brought on by COVID-19. Throughout his campaign, Vice President Joe Biden has advocated for expanding access to higher education programs by making them more affordable. On the campaign trail the vice president often touts the Obama Administration’s efforts to make community college programs free to residents.
Specifically in response to COVID-19, Vice President Biden has called for canceling a minimum of $10,000 in student loan debt for students facing financial hardship. Additionally, the Biden campaign has proposed forgiveness of federal student loan debt for students attending two to four-year public universities who have debt holder earnings up to $125,000. Pertaining to primary and secondary schools, Vice President Biden has been vocal about the need to provide meals to students during the pandemic who would have otherwise been eligible to receive lunches provided by the public school system.
Since the start of his administration, President Trump has empowered the Department of Education to improve electronic learning throughout the country and the White House continues to encourage the agency to utilize COVID-19 stimulus funds to achieve this objective.
President Trump’s reelection campaign appears to be focused generally on returning the country to a state of economic stability. In recent days, the president has repeatedly expressed his belief that returning school systems and other academic institutions to the pre-COVID-19 status quo is the most reasonable way to restore normalcy in the education sector. More bluntly, President Trump has said schools need to reopen as quickly as possible, as it is his view the economy is not open if schools remain closed. We should expect to hear more of this rhetoric from the Trump campaign in the weeks and months ahead.