As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the United States, parents, teachers, and school officials

are looking warily toward the beginning of the 2020 school year. With many openings just a few weeks

away, will children return to physical classrooms, or will they log into classes via Zoom or will it be some

combination of both these questions have touched off emotional debates among parents

health officials school systems teachers unions and other groups it's become a political

flashpoint too president Trump has threatened to withhold funding from schools that

choose not to bring

kids back to classrooms, even as major school systems across the country are announcing

plans to start the school year online. Schools must weigh the health risks of reopening

buildings against the educational risks of keeping them closed. Psychological research can

offer tools to help schools minimize harm

and make the best decisions possible under these difficult circumstances. Welcome to Speaking of

Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association that explores the

connections between psychological science and everyday life. I'm Kim Mills. Our guest today is Dr. Heidi

Schwan Gruber, a developmental psychologist and director of the National Academy of

Sciences Board on Science Education. She and her colleagues released a report July 15th

offering guidance on how K through 12 schools can weigh the risks and benefits of

reopening. They gathered research from epidemiologists, social and behavioral scientists, and

experts in public health and education. Their conclusion was that schools should prioritize

reopening for students in grades K-3-5 and those with special needs. Welcome to speaking of

psychology, Dr. Schwain Gruber. Thank you so much. It's great to be here. So as I just said,

the top line conclusion you came to in the report is that schools should prioritize reopening for

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