Bethany Waiwada's children are in the Harrisburg School District. Ja'Myea Adams, in fourth grade, uses a personal iPad with her school work. May 5, 2020. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
Smart Talk: Teachers and schools continue to struggle during COVID crisis
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Merideth Bucher
Bethany Waiwada's children are in the Harrisburg School District. Ja'Myea Adams, in fourth grade, uses a personal iPad with her school work. May 5, 2020. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
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Airdate: Tuesday, February 2, 2021
In March 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued the first COVID-19 mitigation orders and closed schools across the state.
Nearly one year later and less than twenty percent of schools in Pennsylvania are back to full-time, in-person instruction. The remainder use fully remote or partial, hybrid education models. Each district has developed their model based on many factors unique to their size, location and other determinants.
A year into the changes and operations inside schools are still confusing and challenging for administrators, teachers and families. Pennlive journalist Wallace McKelvey investigated how schools are managing and found that most are struggling, at best. He joins Smart Talk Tuesday.
Targeted stimulus a greater impact when targeted to low income
President Biden came into office with a draft stimulus plan in his brief case. Two weeks after the inauguration and talks are still ongoing as to specifics of the plan, in particular, how much money each family should receive.
Biden wanted every family to receive a $1,400 stimulus payment, but some in Congress are advocating for targeted aid to lower-income families only. They cite recent analysis showing funds directed toward low earners would help those families, while also providing a boost to the economy when they spend the money. Higher wage earners are more likely to save stimulus payments.
Heather Long is an economics correspondent with the Washington Post, and a former deputy editor at the Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa. She appears on Smart Talk Tuesday to discuss what the next stimulus may include.
