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Ok, we have a fed. gov’t that will do (lots of) things again. Here's a quick summary of the Day 1-2 Exec Orders (EOs), Pres Memorandums (PMs), ABCDEFGs around supporting schools, educators + students to reopen, operate, and educate safely through COVID. /1
An EO on Reopening + Continuing Operation of Schools + Early Childhood Providers directs ED + HHS to put out guidance on when and how to reopen *and operate* schools safely; and the same for higher ed institutions. HHS will do the same for Head Start + childcare providers. /2
The same EO directs the Asst Sec for Civ Rts at ED to report on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on students in elementary, secondary + higher education. Critical. This needs nat'l focus + a nat'l strategy; this will begin to ensure that happens. /3
And it directs ED + HHS to develop a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to share lessons learned and best practices from across the country. Here’s that whole EO:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/executive-order-supporting-the-reopening-and-continuing-operation-of-schools-and-early-childhood-education-providers/ /4
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/executive-order-supporting-the-reopening-and-continuing-operation-of-schools-and-early-childhood-education-providers/ /4
Money! FEMA is directed to fully reimburse emergency costs (e.g., PPE) for schools/childcare providers. (This was the case until Sept., when the Trump Admin reversed…while telling schools to open.) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/extend-federal-support-to-governors-use-of-national-guard-to-respond-to-covid-19-and-to-increase-reimbursement-and-other-assistance-provided-to-states/ /5
Data!: ED + HHS will collect data around school reopening/closures to inform policy decisions + help understand the impact of closures on low-income students, students of color, multilingual learners, SWD and others. I love @ProfEmilyOster too, but we need a nat’l data strategy/6
(But thanks to @ProfEmilyOster and @AASAHQ and many others for picking up the slack in the meantime.) /7
Testing! Vaccines!: Lots on ramping up testing + vaccine capacity + delivery, including using the DPA; in each area, there is mention of the need to ramp up in a way that supports the goal of reopening schools safely, taking into account needs of educators/students. /8
There's an EO on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/executive-order-ensuring-an-equitable-pandemic-response-and-recovery/ /9
Other actions include various worker safety actions that will impact educators, and directing the FCC to work to close the digital divide. For real. /10
All of this is exec action, on top of the $130b the incoming Administration is asking of Congress for schools; $35b for colleges; $25b for child care providers; + $350b in flexible state and local relief funds. /END
