The Trump administration announced Friday that states can cancel federally required school testing this year to protect students and teachers, a measure that some states had requested as they shut down schools over the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump also announced that federal student loan holders can get their payments paused for 60 days if they submit a request with their loan servicing company. It adds to Trump's earlier promise to suspend loan interest during that period, which is being done automatically.

In announcing the decision to lift testing requirements, Trump said students have already 'been through a lot' this year.

'They've been going back-and-forth, schools open, schools not open. It's been all standardized testing, and you know, we are not going to be enforcing that,' Trump said. 'I think probably a lot of the students will be extremely happy.'

New guidance from the Education Department says any state that submits a 'proper request' will be granted a testing waiver for the 2019-20 school year. The agency said states can begin canceling tests now if they decide it's necessary as a safety measure.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said students need to focus on staying healthy and continuing to learn during closures.

President Trump on Friday said that the federal government would allow states to cancel standardized testing this year due to the coronavirus pandemic

The standardized tests span the elementary level through high school and typically begin in April. The above photo is a stock image

'Neither students nor teachers need to be focused on high-stakes tests during this difficult time,' DeVos said.

'Students are simply too unlikely to be able to perform their best in this environment.'

Some governors had asked DeVos to lift testing requirements as they ordered statewide school closures to curb the spread of the virus.

Tests in Texas, Washington and some other states had already been canceled as many schools rush to move instruction online.

The federal government's Every Student Succeeds Act requires yearly testing to measure students' progress and to identify any learning gaps among minority students or those from low-income families.

The standardized tests span the elementary level through high school and typically begin in April.

State education leaders applauded the Trump administration's move, saying they need flexibility as they prioritize the safety of their students, teachers and families.

'State chiefs strongly believe in the importance of assessments and accountability, but now is the time to focus first on the safety and well-being of all students as educators assist them in weathering and recovering from this national emergency,' said Carissa Moffat Miller, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers.

But some education groups cautioned against any widespread testing waiver, saying states can already apply for individual exemptions under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

In a joint statement, several civil rights and education advocates, including John B. King, a former education secretary under President Barack Obama, said it would be 'premature to issue blanket national waivers from core components of the law.'

Trump’s decision on student loans goes further than his initial plan to waive interest, but it falls short of requests from some advocacy groups.

The Public Interest Research Group said loan payments should be suspended automatically rather than by request, and the group says the suspension should be guaranteed for the length of the pandemic even if it goes beyond 60 days.

'While we applaud the president and secretary for offering much-needed relief to Americans in this public health crisis, their proposal to freeze student loans for two months does not go far enough - and could keep already-stressed borrowers in a place of economic uncertainty,' said Kaitlyn Vitez, higher education campaign director for the organization.

Earlier this week, several states asked Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to waive the requirement for standardized testing after mass school closures due to the coronavirus outbreak

Trump’s directive also requires borrowers to make payments if they want to keep making progress in federal loan forgiveness programs.

Under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, for example, certain borrowers can have their debt forgiven after making 120 monthly loan payments.

Some Democrats have said borrowers should get credit toward that goal even if payments are suspended because of the virus. But the department’s guidance says suspended payments won’t count toward forgiveness.

Trump said his administration would extend the 60-day payment suspension if required, and he said there would be further changes to help borrowers.

'That’s going to make a lot of students happy,' Trump said of the interest and payment suspensions.

'And we have more to come on student loans, more good news for the students. But we will do that at a different time.

Trump also said his administration would allow students who borrowed money to pay for college to suspend their payments without penalty for at least 60 days.

Earlier this week, the president announced that he would waive interest on federal student loans 'until further notice.'

The announcement on Friday is a step up, as it gives borrowers a reprieve from payment for two months.

'We've temporarily waived all interest on federally held student loans,' Trump told reporters during his daily coronavirus briefing at the White House on Friday.

'They'll be very happy to hear that and I've instructed them to take that action immediately.'

Trump added: 'Today, Betsy Devos directed federal lenders to allow borrowers to suspend their student loans and loan payments without penalty for at least the next 60 days, and if we need more we'll extend that period of time.'

'Borrowers should contact their lenders, but we've given them very strong instructions,' Trump added.

'That's a big thing, that's going to make a lot of students very happy.'

In light of the coronavirus outbreak, it was also announced on Friday that tax filing day would be pushed back from its traditional April 15 date to July 15.

Earlier this week, several states canceled standardized testing for this academic year as they face school closures that could last weeks or months.

The tests were scheduled to begin in early April in many states.

Bipartisan U.S. talks expected on rescue for coronavirus-hit economy

US senators from both parties were expected to meet on Friday along with Trump administration officials to try to devise a rescue plan for an economy reeling from the coronavirus, after Republicans made a $1trillion opening bid.

The massive Republican package unveiled on Thursday includes checks of up to $1,200 for many Americans, and hundreds of billions of dollars in loans for small businesses and industries.

It also would allow Americans a breather on filing their income taxes until July. They are normally due in April.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced the package after talks with the White House and his fellow Republicans.

He then invited Democrats to join them in negotiations on Friday, along with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow.

McConnell vowed the Senate would not adjourn until it had taken action and sent a measure to the Democratic-led House of Representatives, but any vote was probably days away.

Democrats said they were ready to talk, but were also wary, noting they had not been involved in drafting the plan.

The Trump administration will now negotiate with leading members of Congress including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (above) about another economic stimulus package

'To earn Democratic support in the Congress, any economic stimulus proposal must include new, strong and strict provisions that prioritize and protect workers, such as banning the recipient companies from buying back stock, rewarding executives and laying off workers,' Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement with his fellow Democrat, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the chamber's Appropriations Committee, issued a harsh statement on Thursday evening, calling the Republican plan a non-starter.

'The McConnell/Trump Republican proposal puts the interests of corporations over workers and American families,' he said.

'This proposal contains no funding for first responders, child care, schools, help for the homeless, or veterans medical care, to name a few,' Leahy said.

The package is the third taken up by Congress since the coronavirus erupted in the United States.

The highly contagious respiratory disease had infected 12,259 people in the country and killed 200 as of Thursday night.

It has shut schools, businesses and wide swaths of American life, and sent the stock market into a tailspin.

Congress passed an $8.3billion measure earlier this month to combat the coronavirus outbreak and develop vaccines.

On Wednesday, lawmakers approved and Trump signed a $105billion-plus plan to limit the damage through free testing, paid sick leave and expanded safety-net spending.

A key plank in the latest measure is direct payments of up to $1,200 for individuals earning up to $75,000 annually, a Senate Finance Committee statement said. Students would be allowed to defer payments on student loans.

The bill also includes $300 billion for small businesses, and $208 billion in loans for distressed industries, including $50 billion for passenger airlines and $8billion for cargo air carriers.

Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (above) want to ensure that any relief package includes protections for workers

'We are not bailing out the airlines or other industries - period,' Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, told reporters.

Instead the government would guarantee collateralized loans to industries hurt by the outbreak, he said.

But Shelby and some other Republicans were not fans of the proposal to send direct payments to individuals.

Leaders in the House were trying to work out new voting procedures that would allow them to reconvene without endangering members after two members tested positive for the virus and a number of others decided to self-quarantine.