Extend Protections Made for Students During COVID-19

Our education system has been incredibly resilient throughout the past year. While the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed major gaps in our education system, educational innovators have also introduced solutions that prove our nation’s ability to provide for some of the most vulnerable individuals. Still, much work remains to be done. We must continue to accommodate the unique needs of American students until we can truly say that no child is left behind.

Problem

Public school students across America have been receiving lifesaving accommodations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, from free lunches to reduced cost internet access—their access to many of these programs is set to expire at the end of the 2020-2021 school year though, leaving many students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds without access to the bare necessities for educational success.

Our Plan

Benefits such as expanded free lunch should be extended at least until classes are no longer remote. Preferably, we should work to ensure that these changes are permanent, creating a more accommodating and equitable environment for all American students.

• In March 2020, Congress essentially lifted all pre-pandemic restrictions on who can receive free lunch and who can’t.

  • Extend these accommodations so that this becomes the norm nationwide.

• Partner with Internet service providers across the country to continue providing reduced cost or free wifi to Americans in need.

• Partner with local libraries to provide students with digital access to their collection and other learning resources.

• Continue improving remote education infrastructure for students who are unable to attend school due to illness.

  • School districts should begin or continue to provide all teachers with free Zoom Pro accounts so that remote instruction can take place at a moment’s notice.

  • School districts should also begin or continue using online learning content management systems like Canvas or Schoology so class materials can be easily accessible for students.

  • Allow students with physical disabilities that prevent them from attending in-person classes on a regular basis to engage in long-term remote learning.

• Moving forward, it is also imperative that we increase the accessibility of mental health resources for public school students to help them cope with the unique impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on students’ psychological well-being.

This Matters

From a more wide-reaching free lunch program to improved remote education strategies, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that America has the capacity and infrastructure to accommodate the unique needs of marginalized populations. But why should we stop when the pandemic ends? Although classes might not be remote this fall, many students—especially those in the lower-middle class who might not meet the pre-pandemic requirements to receive such aid—will still need access to free lunches or school laptops.