Michigan Republican lawmakers are proposing a back-to-school plan that would require in-person learning for K-5 students in the fall and direct federal funding towards developing more robust virtual learning plans and safety measures.
The proposal hinges on $1.3 billion in federal funding that would be used for one-time boosts of $800 per pupil to K-12 schools and an extra $500 for teachers who have been working through the pandemic. Another $80 million under the plan would go directly to school districts to coordinate and implement distance learning plans and increased safety protocol for in-person instruction.
Schools would be allowed to start the next academic year at any time under the plan, removing the requirement for districts to obtain a waiver if they intend to start school before Labor Day. Educators would also be expected to lean on remote learning during poor weather conditions, dropping the number of forgiven snow days from six days per year to two.
Republican lawmakers stressed the need for local school flexibility when considering the best path forward for reopening, based on local health data and the needs of students in their districts.
“Nobody knows what the fall is going to look like, but we are committed to getting our kids back in the fall,” Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton. “We do know, however, that’s going to look different from district to district.”
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, told reporters Tuesday that in some areas of the state, the appropriate reopening plan could be almost exclusively in-person learning, while other areas might not be there yet.
“But I don’t think it should be the state determining that decision,” he said. “It should be done at a local level, based on their own unique circumstances.”
Asked whether the plan would meet the requirements for spending federal funding allotted to Michigan during the pandemic, Shirkey said lawmakers were “very careful” when coming up with the plan, adding “I think that we were using it exactly as intended, maybe applying a little bit of creativity at the same time.”
The plan comes a week before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to unveil her administration’s “Return to School Roadmap” outlining requirements and guidance for schools to reopen their classrooms. Shirkey said the Whitmer administration has been briefed on the proposal.
Related: Gov. Whitmer ‘optimistic’ Michigan schools can reopen this fall
Considerations about when and how to return to the classroom are only one piece of the puzzle for schools. The state is facing a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall for both the current and upcoming fiscal years in the aftermath of the pandemic.
“We know K-12 funding will see major challenges in the future,” said Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Township. “Our plan uses federal funds to provide our students with stability.”
Since in-person schooling was shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the remainder of the academic year, educators, students and parents alike have struggled to cope with the unprecedented shift to online learning.
When introducing the Republican plan to prepare for and fund COVID-19 response measures for next school year, House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, said parents, students and local school leaders deserve an apology.
“I do not believe that they have received the predictability, or the plan or the insight from state government over the past several months that they deserve,” he said. “We’re going to make that right.”
COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS
In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.
Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.
Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.
Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
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