States Grapple with Cost of COVID-19

by Sean Slone, CSG senior policy analyst

As states and cities are passed over for funding in the latest federal stimulus package, many of them are coming to grips with the sort of havoc the coronavirus pandemic is wreaking on their budgets. While there will certainly be a clearer picture of those numbers in the months to come, the preliminary estimates are devastating enough to prompt a variety of conversations about what actions may be needed to address those impacts.

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Ensuring Equitable Access for Students with Disabilities During the Transition to Distance Learning

Across the country, schools have started the transition to distance learning options in response to the widespread outbreak of COVID-19. All 50 states have taken measures to close all public elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools, and students are moving to online learning. As distance learning methods are established, educators and school administrators are being called upon to consider the 6.7 million public school students with disabilities who may face new challenges with these changes.

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Federal Response to COVID-19: Defense Production Act

By Vanessa Grossl, CSG Policy Analyst

Summary

President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act, a law from 1950 to help fill gaps in needed supplies, such as additional N95 face masks, and to clear up supply-chain issues encountered in the manufacturing of ventilators. This order came in the form of a presidential memorandum, will help fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the states and gives the federal government more control during emergencies to direct industrial production.

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Put Down Your Number Two Pencils: Canceled by COVID-19 for 2020, Standardized Testing Continues to Be Rethought by Educators

By Sean Slone, CSG Senior Policy Analyst

With the closing of schools across the country this spring due to the coronavirus and stay-at-home orders in some places, states have had to grapple with the impact on what is normally a busy season for standardized testing, the activity that drives assessment and accountability systems nationwide, helps guide students to college and careers and generates the data that is used at the state and federal levels to target funding decisions and shape education policy.

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Occupational Licensing – COVID-19 Responses

By Carl Sims, CSG Policy Analyst

Summary

  • The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in shortages of qualified, licensed health care and other related professions that are needed to support state and local responses.
  • States have been enacting measures to modify existing licensing regulations that remove barriers that may prevent an individual to assist in response efforts.
  • Many states have been granting temporary licensure for out-of-state professionals or those that are otherwise retired, still in training, or have lapsed licenses.
  • Certain health care practitioners in some states are being granted expanded scopes of practice.
  • Other states are removing barriers to allow for greater use of telemedicine services.
  • States are also waiving or suspending certain requirements related to the maintenance or attainment of licenses where they might require physical travel, interactions or might otherwise be difficult to achieve during the crisis.
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States Form Task Forces to Consider Short- and Long-Term Impacts of Coronavirus

By: CSG Policy Team

As the spread of COVID-19 continues to uncover new challenges for state governments each day, many state leaders have turned to task forces and advisory committees to help them better understand these issues. While many of these panels focus on the immediate needs related to the state’s public health response and agency coordination, others are also tasked with looking ahead to consider the long-term strategies that may be needed to repair state economies and decimated support systems in the years ahead. Here’s a look at some of these task forces including their makeup and focuses:

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