ERIC Number: ED605937
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jun
Pages: 64
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Considerations for Reopening Pennsylvania Schools
Gill, Brian; Goyal, Ravi; Hartog, Jacob; Hotchkiss, John; DeLisle, Danielle
Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic
COVID-19 has profoundly affected educational institutions across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as it has in the rest of the country and around the world. Since March 2020, school buildings statewide have been closed. Although many schools have worked hard to provide instruction remotely, it is likely that schoolchildren all over the state are missing out on a substantial amount of learning, with educational losses and other hardships that are likely to be greater for some of the same populations that are disproportionately harmed by the disease itself, creating a serious equity challenge. As educational institutions plan for re-opening in Fall 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) needs to provide guidance to assist schools in developing policies and procedures for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring the safety of their students and staff. In May, PDE approached their partners at the U.S. Department of Education's Mid-Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) to provide analytic support for their guidance. In the face of enormous uncertainty, PDE needs to produce a guidance document that outlines options for fall school openings while addressing infection risk, educational impact, and community concerns, with attention to equity throughout. To inform PDE in developing this guidance, REL Mid-Atlantic researchers undertook three tasks: (1) They conducted a rapid review of existing evidence on public-health and educational issues relevant to reopening schools; (2) They interviewed a cross-section of stakeholders from around PA; and (3) They used an agent-based model (ABM) (Koopman, 2002) to simulate the potential spread of COVID-19 under alternative approaches to reopening schools. This memo describes their findings from each of the three tasks. [For the Pennsylvania Department of Education.]
Descriptors: Disease Control, Disease Incidence, Prevention, Educational Facilities, Educational Environment, Guidance, School Safety, Public Health, Crisis Management, Elementary Secondary Education, Preschool Education, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Sanitation, Hygiene, Well Being, Stakeholders, Models, Distance Education, Electronic Learning, Blended Learning, Risk Management, Student Transportation, Child Health, Health Sciences, School Schedules, Equal Education, Access to Computers, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Closing
Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic. Available from: Institute of Education Sciences. 550 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20202. Tel: 202-245-6940; Web site: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midatlantic/index.asp
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic (ED)
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: EDIES17C0006