President Donald Trump’s push to reopen schools for in-classroom learning could cost nearly half a trillion dollars, Newsweek reports.
The American Federation of Teachers, the country’s second largest teachers’ union, released a report on Monday that outlined the cost to safely reopen public schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.
About $262 billion will be needed to ensure students are socially distanced, according to the report.
In order to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to stay 6 feet away from another person, schools could have to expand classrooms by 47%. Portable classrooms are estimated to cost $115 billion plus an additional $147 billion for salaries and benefits for extra instructors.
The cost to properly disinfect schools, pay nurses and supply personal protective equipment would be an additional $36 billion. The union set aside $43 billion for additional learning, social and emotional support for children.
To provide proper social distancing on school buses, the union estimates it will cost $80 billion to purchase more buses to transport kids safely.
"Even if there were political will to spend that money, we have already missed the chance to make the broadest progress toward that goal, with no way to find the teachers, the classroom capacity or the buses needed by the time the fall semester starts," the AFT said in the report.
The union recommends a mix of in-person learning and online instruction or complete virtual learning instead of a full-time return to the classroom.
"Our nation is at a critical crossroad, and the decisions Congress and the president make in the next two weeks will be felt for generations to come," AFT President Randi Weingarten, said in a statement. "We're facing an unmitigated disaster — and we hope our cries for help are heeded before it's too late."
An estimate for the "fullest and safest possible reopening" totals $116.5 billion, according to the AFT. The amount would give schools enough funding to physically distance, provide masks, Plexiglass, hand-washing stations, cleaning supplies and other resources intended to help curb the spread of the virus.
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