COVID-19 cases are falling in the United States. During President Biden's State of the Union address on Tuesday, he declared that the virus "need no longer control our lives." The CDC also recently responded to the declining national case rate by loosening its mask guidance, with many state and local governments already making similar moves.

These developments offer reason for hope, but we cannot lose sight of the structural inequities highlighted by the pandemic—inequities that led to devastating impacts on Black and Latino communities. To reduce racial disparities in future health outcomes, U.S. policymakers must take action to address health care gaps, environmental exposure and air pollution, and food insecurity among vulnerable populations. Anthony Barr and Ariel Gelrud Shiro share measures to help tackle these underlying problems.

Below, additional pieces shed light on the growing debt crisis for developing economies, ways to boost the U.S. housing stock, strategies to combat student learning loss, and more. 

More research and commentary

How staffing shortages affect schools. Whether it's substitute teachers or bus drivers, schools across the United States have faced significant labor shortages during the pandemic. Four district superintendents offer their perspectives on the problem and what they've done to address it. 

Combating pandemic learning loss. America's school districts and states are making important decisions about interventions to mitigate learning declines caused by school closures and remote instruction. Megan Kuhfeld, Jim Soland, Karyn Lewis, and Emily Morton share their findings on several strategies, including extended school days, class size reductions, and high-dosage tutoring. 

Getting the most out of ARP housing funds. Rapidly rising U.S. housing costs are a significant source of financial stress for millions of people. How should policymakers respond? Rushaine Goulbourne, Cassidy Pearson, and Jenny Schuetz show how American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars can be used to expand the stock of affordable, decent-quality housing.

School meals for Africa's students. From Senegal to Rwanda, African nations are rebuilding home-grown school feeding programs to assist in the COVID-19 recovery. Boitshepo Bibi Giyose, Carmen Burbano de Lara, and Donald A.P. Bundy explain why these efforts are so important in bringing vulnerable children—particularly girls—back to school.

The debt crisis facing the developing world. The COVID-19 crisis has left developing economies with total debt at a 50-year high. Indermit Gill says it is time to move beyond the typical approach to sovereign-debt restructuring.