page_title: Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
section_title: Educational impact
hierarchical_section_title: Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States / Educational impact
caption_attribution_description: English: The school is shut down and yellow tape is placed around the playground to keep people from using it.
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has had far-reaching consequences in the country that go beyond the spread of the disease itself and efforts to quarantine it, including political, cultural, and social implications.
context_section_description: As of April 10, 2020, most American public and private schools—at least 124,000—had closed nationwide, affecting at least 55.1 million students. By April 22, school buildings had been ordered or recommended to be closed for the remainder of the academic year in 39 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia. As schools shift education to online learning, there are concerns about student access to necessary technology, absenteeism, and accommodations for special needs students. School systems also looked to adjust grading scales and graduation requirements to mitigate the disruption caused by the unprecedented closures.
  To ensure poor students continued to receive lunches while schools were closed, many states and school districts arranged for "grab-and-go" lunch bags or used school bus routes to deliver meals to children. To provide legal authority for such efforts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture waived several school lunch program requirements.
  Many higher educational institutions canceled classes and closed dormitories in response to the outbreak, including all members of the Ivy League, and many other public and private universities across the country. Many universities also expanded the use of pass/fail grading for the Spring 2020 semester.
  Due to the disruption to the academic year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education approved a waiver process, allowing states to opt-out of standardized testing required under the Every Student Succeeds Act. In addition, the College Board eliminated traditional face-to-face Advanced Placement exams in favor of an online exam that can be taken at home. The College Board also cancelled SAT testing in March and May in response to the pandemic. Similarly, April ACT exams were rescheduled for June 2020.
  The Department of Education also authorized limited student loan relief, allowing borrowers to suspend payments for at least two months without accruing interest.
  In July 2020, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced that she intends to have all American schools open for in-person classes for the 2020/2021 school year.
caption: Playground at a Seattle elementary school, closed due to the pandemic
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