COVID-19 Containment Measures at Childcare and Schools in 19 European Countries: An Observational Study on Local, Federal and National Policies

Objectives: After childcare and schools have been closed in March 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, they were open again in most European countries after the summer holidays till early autumn. Aim of this study is to give an overview and to compare COVID-19 childcare and school containment policies in 19 European countries.Methods: We collected data on containment measures among delegates of the European Academy of Pediatrics (EAP), through an online, closed questionnaire in the second half of October 2020.Results: Most policy has been formulated for secondary education. In all three settings policy was most often formulated for individual hygiene, cleaning of surfaces, exclusion of sick children, ventilation, distance between children and between children and teachers. In secondary schools, policy is formulated on face masks in and outside the class. School closure, cancellation of physical education and class size reduction are measures for which the fewest countries have formulated national policies.Conclusion: We recommend to accompany the opening of children’s facilities and schools by surveillance studies that further clarify questions about control measures implemented to halt COVID-19 pandemic.

NET COSTS OF CLASS-SIZE REDUCTION: THE PORTUGUESE CASE

This article aims to promote further reflection on the benefits derived from class-size reduction, seeking to demonstrate that the expenditures resulting from this are usually overestimated when they are determined on the basis of gross employee cost to the State, and not taking into account the corresponding net costs. This scholarly exercise analyzes the Portuguese case and the costs of a teacher in the public education system in Portugal. This work intends to contribute to a better understanding of this subject, raising awareness of different educational actors of the relationship between cost and direct and indirect benefits of a class-size reduction policy.

The Effect of Teacher's Aides in the Classroom: Evidence from a Randomized Trial

Teacher's aides are used worldwide, in various school systems, although, there is no strong evidence of their impact on student outcomes. We use a randomized trial to challenge this state of evidence. We randomly allocate 105 schools to two types of treatments—aides with or without a teaching degree—compared to a control group. Both types of aides have positive impacts on test scores and the effects are persistent over time for disadvantaged students. Exploratory analyses of mechanisms suggest that a teacher's aide is not just a class-size reduction, but especially impactful when sharing instructional responsibility for the classroom.