LANSING – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the state has set a goal to have every Michigan school district offer some sort of in-person learning option by March 1, if not sooner.  

The governor did not say she was requiring schools to provide in-person learning. Asked why she didn’t require it, Whitmer said there’s 800-plus school districts in Michigan and that they’ve worked with the education community to “strike the right balance.”

At least one source in the education community told MIRS Whitmer wouldn’t be able to require such an option under the Return to Learn legislation signed into law last year. 

 Whitmer said medical experts and epidemiologists believe, after following the data for months, that schools can keep things safe even during the pandemic if everyone wears masks and follows infection prevention protocols.

“Schools have demonstrated that they can provide a safe learning environment for their students and safe workplaces for their staff,” Whitmer said.