LANSING (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is strongly encouraging all K-12 schools in Michigan to offer in-person instruction by March 1 and earlier if possible, but she stopped short of requiring it saying face-to-face classes should at least be an option.
Many schools, including in large districts such as Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, have been fully remote during the coronavirus pandemic.
Teachers and child care staff are among residents who will begin being vaccinated starting today as the state transitions to the next phase of its vaccine rollout. Vaccines were first offered to health care workers and nursing home residents.
“The value of in-person learning for our kids is immeasurable,” Whitmer said, on Friday adding it is safe if schools require masks and adopt infection-prevention protocols.
The Democratic governor last month lifted her administration’s temporary ban on in-person learning in high schools as a spike in COVID-19 infections receded.
In December, at least 800,000 public school students — 55 percent — were in districts that planned to offer only virtual instruction amid the surge, according to a study by Michigan State University.
About 453,000, or 31 percent, were in districts with an option of full in-person learning. Others had hybrid or other setups.
Under a 2020 law, Michigan schools that deem it safe to provide face-to-face classes during the pandemic must prioritize the option for K-5 students.
The governor said she did not attempt to force schools to offer some in-person instruction because there are hundreds of districts and charter schools with differing circumstances. She also cautioned that a more contagious variant of the virus has arrived in the U.S.
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