Whitmer Unveils Back-To-School Plan For Michigan

MICHIGAN — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released the MI Safe Schools Roadmap on Tuesday, directing school districts across the state to develop plans for how they will keep students safe upon a return to in-class instruction.

The Roadmap outlines a number of safety protocols for schools to implement in each phase of the governor’s MI Safe Start Plan. In addition to releasing the back-to-school plan, Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-142, which provides a structure to support all schools in Michigan as they plan for a return of PreK-12 education in the fall.

"If we're going to send our kids back to school safely in the fall, it's on all of us to keep doing our part," Whitmer said Tuesday in a news conference announcing the release of the plan.

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The plan is broken into six phases.

• During the first three phases, schools will be closed to in-person instruction, but can continue to be used for other purposes. School employees are able to enter the building for non instruction purposes. Athletics and after school activities are also canceled during these phases.
• In Phase 4, schools can open to in-person instruction but face masks are required to be worn by staff members and students. Desks inside classrooms are required to be spread 6-feet apart. Schools are required to work with local health departments on screening staff. Indoor assemblies would be prohibited. Athletics would be required to follow MHSAA guidance and rules. Spectators would be allowed to watch games if they are wearing face masks.
• Many requirements become recommendations in Phase 5 of the plan, which changes the requirement to wear face masks into a recommendation.
• Most safety recommendations and guidelines are removed in Phase 6, which includes standard protocols such as having soap and hygiene tools. Safety requirements would be lifted for athletics and other school facets.

To view the governor’s MI Safe Schools Roadmap in its entirety, click here.

MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said the state has seen numbers relating to the coronavirus that aren't where she would like them to be. The Lansing and Grand Rapids regions have seen increases in daily cases, she said. As of Tuesday morning, Michigan has reported 63,870 cases of the virus and 5,947 deaths attributed to it.

"I implore everyone again to please take this seriously," Khaldun said at the news conference Tuesday. "Wear your mask, socially distance and be responsible. We still have a long road ahead of us in fighting COVID-19."

Executive Order 2020-142 requires school districts to adopt a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan laying out how they will protect students and educators across the various phases of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. The roadmap offers guidelines as to the types of safety protocols that will be required or recommended at each phase. In recognition that these protocols will cost money, the Whitmer also announced that she was allocating $256 million to support the districts in implementing their local plans as part of the bipartisan budget agreement the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House, as the governor announced yesterday.

The safety protocols detailed in the roadmap includes guidance on the use of PPE, good hygiene, cleaning/disinfecting, spacing in classrooms, screening for symptoms, athletics and more. The roadmap also recognizes the impact COVID-19 has had on students’ and educators’ mental health and offers guidance on how schools can address this issue.

The plan has fluid elements that could change depending on how many cases of the coronavirus are present.

Whitmer said she will continue to use the MI Safe Start Plan as the highest-level governing framework for determining if and when it is safe to resume in-person instruction.

On June 3, the governor announced a group of 25 leaders in health care and education to serve on the COVID-19 Return to Learn Advisory Council. The council is chaired by Tonya Allen, and includes public health experts, a pediatrician, educators, school administrators, school board members, community leaders, parents, and students.

On June 17, 2020, Whitmer announced that Michigan schools may resume in-person learning in phase 4 of the MI Safe Start plan, with strict safety measures in place.

The Advisory Council was created to identify the critical issues that must be addressed, provide valuable input to inform the process of returning to school, and ensure a smooth and safe transition back to school, Whitmer said at the time. The council will act in an advisory capacity to the Whitmer and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education, and will continue to develop recommendations regarding the safe, equitable, and efficient K-12 return to school in the fall.