The United States is beginning to investigate and experiment with reopening schools despite the continued presence of COVID-19, following in the steps of 20 other countries that have already done so, the Heritage Foundation is reporting.

Lindsey Burke, director at the foundation's Center for Education Policy, explained that school shutdowns last spring forced 1.5 billion children to move into their homes to finish out the school year, which accounts for more than 91% of the world’s children, according to UNESCO. Many parents feel discouraged that their children have been at home and unable to continue their schooling, believing that they have lagged behind due to the closures. 

Meanwhile, countries including Sweden, Taiwan and Nicaragua opted to keep their schools open throughout the pandemic. Many countries also kept their daycare facilities open and still experienced low rates of transmission of the virus. 

Sweden, the Netherlands, Japan, Israel, Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, Austria and Australia have all taken measures to ensure that classes continue, with some requiring masks and social distancing and others taking no special measures. In the U.S., the Trump administration is pushing for schools to reopen in the fall, and the president stated that schools could lose their federal funding if they do not reopen. 

Burke suggests that schools must decide whether to reopen based on local factors, in addition to the expert opinions of education leaders, health officials and parents. Should school districts remain closed or not meet the needs of their students through online learning, parents should be given the option to seek out other options for their children’s schooling, Burke said.

Burke’s recommendation is that the states should grant emergency education savings accounts to families, which would give them the option to send their children to the school of their choice in necessary situations. Rather than focusing on federal officials and special-interest groups, Burke explained, schools and families must rest assured that their voices are being heard.