Bill Overview
Title: ACADEMIC Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to include an additional longitudinal component in an existing prekindergarten through 12th grade longitudinal educational study. Specifically, ED must include in the study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student outcomes and well-being.
Sponsors: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: Students impacted by COVID-19 from prekindergarten to 12th grade worldwide
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill is concerned with the assessment of academic development from prekindergarten through 12th grade, implying it affects students at these educational levels.
- The focus is on gauging the impact of COVID-19, which potentially impacts all students during this timeframe globally.
- Given that the bill arises from the US, it will specifically study US education outcomes, though similar concerns are prevalent worldwide.
- COVID-19 had a worldwide impact; however, implementation will focus on US schooling systems.
Reasoning
- The target population is pre-K through 12th grade students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., estimated at 50 million students.
- The policy involves studying the longitudinal effects on academic and emotional well-being, suggesting a focus on both educational and psychological data.
- The interviews should include diverse demographics to represent urban, suburban, and rural students across the country.
- Budget may restrict the depth of the study, focusing on pivotal schools or regions rather than an exhaustive nationwide survey.
- The impact on individuals will vary significantly, with some seeing measurement as the first step to targeted aid, while others may feel unchanged or skeptical.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (New York, NY)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad they're focusing on both academics and well-being. It's been tough to keep up with everything.
- I hope this data will lead to real changes that help us recover academically.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Middle School Student (Houston, TX)
Age: 14 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not sure what this will change, but it feels nice to know they're looking out for us.
- If they provide more support and less pressure, it would be amazing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Elementary School Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 9 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't know what the policy is, but I hope we have less homework.
- I like school, but sometimes it's hard to understand everything since COVID.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
High School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 16 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's good to see them caring about mental health. It was really stressful last year.
- I wish we had more conversations with teachers about this.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Middle School Student (Rural Kansas)
Age: 13 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's helpful they're looking into how COVID affected us but what's it going to change?
- Hopefully, they can make schools better prepared for online learning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Elementary School Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 11 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- School is fun again, and I see my friends every day.
- I'm not sure what the policy is, but things seem back to normal.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 10 |
High School Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 15 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's important to make sure we're not falling behind because of last year.
- I'm hoping the policy leads to improved guidance counseling support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
High School Senior (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think investigating well-being is key to helping future students.
- I hope my younger siblings get better mental health support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
High School Student (Denver, CO)
Age: 17 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 9.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Focusing on long-term effects on well-being is crucial after the last couple of years.
- I really hope it leads to more resources for support in class.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Elementary School Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 9 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 19/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't really know what policies are, but I love school at the moment.
- As long as I can keep playing with friends, I'm happy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $550000000)
Year 2: $250000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $300000000)
Year 3: $250000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $300000000)
Year 5: $275000000 (Low: $225000000, High: $325000000)
Year 10: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 100: $350000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $400000000)
Key Considerations
- Integration of COVID-19 impact metrics into existing studies must align with existing educational standards and goals.
- The scope of data collection can significantly affect costs, depending on sample size requirements and data granularity.
- Longitudinal studies often require careful ethical considerations, including consent and data privacy.
- Implementation challenges might arise, particularly in coordinating amongst diverse school systems.