Bill Overview
Title: Open Schools Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Education to make grants to parents of eligible students for certain education-related expenses. Eligible student refers to a student who is enrolled for the 2021-2022 school year in an elementary or secondary school that (1) is located in a local educational agency that received certain COVID-19 relief funds; and (2) does not provide, for any reason related to COVID-19, in-person learning for each enrolled student for each school day during the school year. Grant funds may be used to pay the tuition and fees for a private elementary or secondary school, pay the cost of attending a public school that provides in-person learning, or for other expenses and educational materials.
Sponsors: Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13]
Target Audience
Population: Students in schools without in-person learning due to COVID-19
Estimated Size: 19000000
- This bill impacts students who are enrolled in schools that do not provide in-person learning due to COVID-19.
- The bill targets schools that are part of local educational agencies that received COVID-19 relief funds.
- These are likely to be schools that are more affected by COVID-19, potentially serving disadvantaged or more at-risk communities.
- Schools across the US were affected by COVID-19 with a significant amount of schools going remote at least temporarily, so this bill could affect a large number of students across the country.
Reasoning
- The target population for the Open Schools Act is students in schools without in-person learning due to COVID-19, which can vary greatly in socio-economic status, geographical location, and individual needs.
- The policy's budget aims to cover a significant portion of this population, estimated at around 19 million students, through grants to facilitate access to alternative educational resources, potentially improving educational outcomes and wellbeing.
- Representing a range of perspectives requires considering diverse family structures, economic positions, parental education levels, and varying regional COVID-19 responses.
- Impacts will range from highly significant for families who cannot afford alternatives to in-person learning, to low or none for families already managing with remote learning without extra financial stress.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Without this policy, it's been tough ensuring my child keeps up with school. I'd love to see them back in a structured environment.
- Remote learning works for us only sometimes, but lack of social interaction is hard on my child.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Tech worker (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've managed to adjust to online learning, but I worry about long-term effects on social skills and education quality.
- This policy won't change much for us financially but provides peace of mind knowing options are available if needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Small business owner (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's been exhausting and anxiety-inducing managing the business and my child's education through closures.
- This policy sounds like a relief, potentially freeing me up to focus on keeping my business alive while ensuring my child receives solid education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Financial Analyst (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My biggest concern is the inconsistency in remote learning quality and screen time.
- Any policy that helps us find alternative educational avenues is welcome, especially if schools remain closed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Stay-at-home parent (Kansas City, MO)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Home schooling wasn’t in our plans, but our school can't support special education needs online as effectively.
- The grants could help us secure the resources we need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Medical Researcher (Houston, TX)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Remote learning's been challenging due to limited space and tech issues. Missed many workdays juggling priorities.
- These grants would significantly ease our current struggles.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Freelancer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 44 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've been fortunate that schools provide some flexibility with online learning.
- The policy will possibly save us some tutoring costs, which helps our tight budget.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Nurse (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hate leaving my kid at home alone for remote sessions with a nanny overseeing everything.
- This policy might offer us alternatives that allow my child to gain more independence and interactive learning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Mechanic (Detroit, MI)
Age: 53 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My kids have adapted better than I expected, though each manages differently.
- The policy is beneficial especially if circumstances worsen again.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Entrepreneur (Denver, CO)
Age: 47 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy may not impact us tremendously as we've already adapted well to home-schooling and have resources at our disposal.
- It's reassuring that other families may benefit, leading to more balanced societal pressures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $90000000000 (Low: $50000000000, High: $120000000000)
Year 2: $80000000000 (Low: $45000000000, High: $110000000000)
Year 3: $70000000000 (Low: $40000000000, High: $100000000000)
Year 5: $50000000000 (Low: $25000000000, High: $75000000000)
Year 10: $30000000000 (Low: $15000000000, High: $45000000000)
Year 100: $10000000000 (Low: $5000000000, High: $15000000000)
Key Considerations
- Estimating the number of eligible students is challenging due to varying state and local COVID-19 policies.
- Assumes average education related expenses per student around $5,000.
- The exact allocation of grants may vary significantly affecting overall costs.
- Potential long-term educational benefits could reduce future social service expenditures, which are difficult to quantify presently.