President Trump said on Friday that students would no longer be required to take federal standardized tests.
“With many schools closed due to the virus, the Department of Education will not enforce standardized testing requirements, very importantly,” Trump said. “For students in elementary through high school for the current year. They have been through a lot, they have been going back-and-forth, schools open, schools not open. … Standardized testing and, you know, we are not going to be enforcing that.”
The president spoke during the White House’s daily press briefing on the coronavirus.
Trump also appeared to reiterate an earlier announcement that the interest on federal student loans would be halted as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. “Today, Secretary [Betsy] DeVos has directed federal lenders to allow borrowers to suspend their student loans and loan payments without penalty for at least the next 60 days,” he said.
“We’ve also temporarily waived all interests on federally held student loans,” Trump said. “They’ll be very happy to hear that. And I have instructed them to take that action immediately.
There have been, as of noon EDT Monday, more than 14,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, which has resulted in at least 187 deaths, according to CBS News, while more than 120 people have recovered.
