Reopening Schools Announcement
On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced some new guidance aimed at getting more middle and high school students back in the classroom, with a target of all schools offering some form of in-person learning by March 8th. We have been advocating for more clarity and frankly, for more local control in these decisions for months.
We need to safely reopen our schools as quickly as possible — the science and data show that we can do so safely, and the Governor's own numbers indicate transmission in schools for teachers is nearly zero.
The impact school closures are having on student mental health, social wellbeing, and academic achievement has been nothing short of devastating, and delaying the reopening of schools until now is going to have long-term consequences, especially for at-risk students.
High level details from the Governor’s recent announcement include:
On February 22, Middle schools and high schools may begin either hybrid or in-person learning, if they are able to implement additional mitigation strategies.
If a school with either a hybrid or in-person learning model sees five percent of students and staff sent home with influenza- or COVID-19-like illness within a single week, these schools are strongly encouraged to transition a more restrictive learning model.
Distance learning options will still be available for families and students that want to continue at-home learning.
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