What it could cost to reopen schools with covid-19 safety measures
If that money doesn’t come — and soon — in-school learning would last for only half of the school year, said John Evans, president of the San Diego school board. Then all students would return home for remote learning for the second part of the year. To stay open for the whole year and employ protective measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus, the district needs about $50 million from Congress, he said in an interview.
President Trump is now saying that he may cut funding for districts that don’t do what he wants: reopen schools full time, five days a week. He tweeted as much on Wednesday, saying: “In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families. May cut off funding if not open!”
If he were to favor with funding districts that reopen full time, that could help San Diego, which is planning to do just that. But many — if not most districts — are planning a hybrid model for the fall, which would entail students learning for a few days in school and a few days remotely at home each week.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made clear on Wednesday she is not impressed with hybrid models and wants students in school full time. “They must be open, and they must be fully operational,” she said Wednesday at the Education Department.
On Tuesday, she said at the White House: “It’s clear our nation’s schools must fully reopen and fully operate this school year. Anything short of that robs the students, not to mention taxpayers, of their futures.”
School districts around the country have been saying for months that if Congress doesn’t provide much more funding, they will not be able to reopen safely this fall. The money hasn’t come yet — and there’s no sign it will anytime soon.
Congress included more than $13.5 billion for K-12 schools in legislation that passed in March, but education leaders say that doesn’t come close to covering the cost of reopening schools with the added CONTINUE READING: What it could cost to reopen schools - The Washington Post