State Moves Toward Statewide In-Person Learning

Liz Gullett

Jan 08, 2021

This afternoon, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the state has set a goal for all school districts to offer an option for in-person learning no later than March 1. Despite a brief shutdown of in-person learning at high schools in November and December, the decision of in-person vs. virtual learning has been left up to individual school districts. There have been several school districts who have been able to safely offer in-person learning and Governor Whitmer pointed to this during today’s announcement. Additionally, earlier this week the state announced that beginning next week, teachers will be in the next group of those eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition to wearing masks, the Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidance for schools to follow to keep students and staff safe, including:

- Assigning children to cohort groups and limiting their interactions to reduce the number of contacts
- Keeping children 6 feet apart
- Providing hand sanitizing supplies and reinforcing proper handwashing
- Improving air ventilation
- Have staff and students conduct self-screenings for symptoms at home every day before going to school
- Ensuring school plans are in place in coordination with their local health department if there are any positive COVID-19 tests

For more information on MI Safe Start Schools, please click here.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.