Trump Administration Committed to Safely Reopening Schools

President Trump and his Administration are committed to ensuring schools safely reopen in the fall and empowering parents to make decisions about their children’s education. The CDC released new resources and tools for school administrators, teachers, parents, guardians, and caregivers when schools open this fall.

• Evidence indicates that COVID-19 poses relatively low risks to school-aged children.
  • Data suggests that children and adolescents under 18 years old account for under 7 percent of COVID-19 cases, and 99.96 percent of all fatalities are adults.
• President Trump is calling for legislation to ensure that schools have the funding and incentives they need to safely reopen this fall and to provide families with school choice.
• To encourage schools to make in-person classes available this fall, the President is requesting $105 billion in education funding as part of the next coronavirus relief bill—$70 billion of which will directly support K-12 education. Approximately $35 billion of the $70 billion will be reserved for schools that reopen.
• Lengthy time away from school harms a student’s ability to advance academically, prevents educators from best ensuring the wellbeing of students, and makes it difficult for parents to work, potentially hampering the financial security of millions of working American families.
  • Studies have showed that due to shutdowns last spring, the average student will begin this school year roughly 35 percent behind in reading and more than 50 percent behind in math compared to a typical year.
  • Estimates from the Council of Economic Advisors suggest that 5.6 million parents will be unable to return to work if schools do not reopen this year.
• Long-term school closures adversely impact students from all backgrounds, especially those with fewer resources.
  • According to a survey by EdTrust, 50 percent of low-income and 42 percent of families of color lack sufficient devices at home to access distance learning.
  • McKinsey & Co. has found that school shutdowns deprive lower income students of vital support and engagement, resulting in disproportionate learning losses.
  • Nationwide, nearly 30 million American students rely on schools for free or reduced meals.
• Without in-person learning, educators are also unable to monitor important learning deficits, as well as report signs of abuse and address mental health problems.
  • More than 70% of children receiving mental health services do so at school, and nearly all therapies for children with intellectual or physical disabilities are performed at school.
  • According to Federal data, education personnel report one in five cases alleging child abuse or neglect.