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Is It Safe to Reopen Schools? An Extensive Review of the Research

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Is It Safe to Reopen Schools? An Extensive Review of the Research
Language: English
Authors: Bailey, John, American Enterprise Institute (AEI), University of Washington, Bothell. Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), COVID Collaborative
Source: American Enterprise Institute. 2021.
Availability: American Enterprise Institute. 1150 Seventeenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-862-5800; Fax: 202-862-7177; Web site: http://www.aei.org
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 92
Publication Date: 2021
Sponsoring Agency: Walton Family Foundation
Document Type: Information Analyses
Descriptors: Public Schools, School Closing, COVID-19, Pandemics, Educational Change, Risk, Educational Policy, School Safety, Disease Control, Economic Impact, Costs, Well Being, Outcomes of Education, Incidence, Evidence, Risk Assessment, Foreign Countries, Program Effectiveness, Trend Analysis
Geographic Terms: United States, France, Israel, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Europe, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Illinois, Mississippi, New York (New York), United Kingdom
Abstract: By the end of March 2020, all public schools in the United States were closed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. More than 50.8 million children stayed home as school systems scrambled to transition to remote or hybrid learning platforms. While the decision to close schools was difficult, the debate over when and how to reopen safely and responsibly has grown increasingly complex and politically fraught. Within local communities, many teachers expressed grave concern over the health risks, and parents worried about their children's safety. As a result, many school system leaders opted to continue with remote learning while the path to reopening remained uncertain. One year later, however, a growing body of medical research and the firsthand experiences of school systems worldwide can provide a sound basis for determining a reopening strategy. This report examines the collective findings of more than 130 studies and considers their implications for adapting current policies. These studies cover a wide array of topics, including risks for children, transmissibility concerns, and the impact of school re-openings on community spread. This report provides an overview of the available scientific research and the experience of schools that have reopened in Europe and throughout the United States. It is intended to serve as a reference for leaders to ground their decisions in the scientific literature, deepen their understanding of the risks and trade-offs, and develop their own conclusions. [This report was produced with the Evidence Project at the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), United States of Care, and Opportunity Labs.]
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2022
Accession Number: ED616727
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:By the end of March 2020, all public schools in the United States were closed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. More than 50.8 million children stayed home as school systems scrambled to transition to remote or hybrid learning platforms. While the decision to close schools was difficult, the debate over when and how to reopen safely and responsibly has grown increasingly complex and politically fraught. Within local communities, many teachers expressed grave concern over the health risks, and parents worried about their children's safety. As a result, many school system leaders opted to continue with remote learning while the path to reopening remained uncertain. One year later, however, a growing body of medical research and the firsthand experiences of school systems worldwide can provide a sound basis for determining a reopening strategy. This report examines the collective findings of more than 130 studies and considers their implications for adapting current policies. These studies cover a wide array of topics, including risks for children, transmissibility concerns, and the impact of school re-openings on community spread. This report provides an overview of the available scientific research and the experience of schools that have reopened in Europe and throughout the United States. It is intended to serve as a reference for leaders to ground their decisions in the scientific literature, deepen their understanding of the risks and trade-offs, and develop their own conclusions. [This report was produced with the Evidence Project at the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), United States of Care, and Opportunity Labs.]