How Will Schools Be Impacted by COVID-19?
In the era of Covid-19, industries across the globe are gearing up for a “new normal” once the country emerges from the lockdown stage of the pandemic. American public education, an already controversial subject prior to the novel coronavirus, is no exception. Here’s a look at how education will be impacted by Covid-19.
Virtual Classrooms
While it may seem that this time of “homeschooling” and the virtual classroom is a brand new concept, education is no stranger to its share of disease-caused interruptions. In the days of radio as the main source of news and entertainment, educators used the communication method as a means of reaching their students much how modern-day educators are using virtual conference technologies such as Zoom and Google Classroom to continue teaching their courses.
Unfortunately, educator creativity does not always lead to successful educational outcomes for students, as combining home and school is not always the best solution for many students. Challenges stemming from socioeconomic disparities, substance abuse and violence in the home and overworked or simply working parents make it difficult for students to succeed in normal circumstances. These difficulties in the midst of a global pandemic can make learning even more of a challenge, especially when more serious issues such as loss of income and fear of getting sick become worldwide priorities.
Financial Impact
With school budgets dependent on state revenues--which have seen a drastic decline due to state government measures, public schools across the country are struggling to secure funding for the upcoming school year this fall. In addition to limited revenue coming from income and sales taxes, states are also left with little emergency funds that could have been used to buffer the hard-hit school budgets. Any additional funds are going towards the more significant issues including emergency healthcare, health insurance and even higher education, which is seeing an increase in enrollment rates due to economic decline.
Educator pay, which has previously made headlines for being low, is strangely enough shielded from the economic effects of the shutdown. Unlike other industries where pay rates are adjusted according to the health of the economy, educator pay is determined far in advance through state legislative measures, making it much more difficult to adjust during an economic crisis.
In addition to current educator payments being locked in, so are the pension payments for retirees from the education sector, which are based on final average salary. With fixed payments for current and former educators, states are left with little financial wiggle room when it comes to future school budgets. As a result, schools are forced to make strict cuts to other areas, including hiring freezes, cancelation of vendor contracts, suspension of all travel-related expenses and pushes toward adopting more “efficient” means of operating to save money on utilities.
What Has Covid-19 Taught Us About Education?
While it will be difficult to expect much in terms of expected learning outcomes, there are some positives that have come out of this situation. As parents are forced to become more or less at-home teachers, they are finally realizing just how demanding the act of teaching can be. Educators themselves are starting to gain the much-needed respect they deserve, and society is finally starting to understand the importance of schools not just in terms of academic preparation but also for providing food, healthcare, social interaction and a sense of community that shapes the future leaders of the world.
Sources for this article:
Luthra, Poornima, et al. “4 ways COVID-19 could change how we educate future generations.” World Economic Forum, 30 Mar. 2020.
Roza, Marguerite. “How the coronavirus shutdown will affect school district revenues.” Brookings, 9 Apr. 2020.
Strauss, Valerie. “How past crises changed America’s public schools — ‘and so too will covid-19.’” The Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2020.