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Mueller announces plan to safely resume school in the fall
RELEASE|June 23, 2020
Contact: Mike Mueller

$1.3 billion plan implements robust distance learning, safety measures

State Rep. Mike Mueller today joined House and Senate colleagues in unveiling a plan to ensure the safety of Michigan students as learning resumes in the fall.


The House-Senate plan, announced this morning during a Capitol press conference, requires local school districts and health departments to work together to develop health and safety standards that are best for their unique area.


“Each school district was impacted in a different way by the health crisis, so statewide safety mandates are simply not helpful,” said Mueller, of Linden. “By requiring school districts to work with local health departments, we can ensure students and teachers are taking appropriate caution for their area.”


Mueller also said schools should have the flexibility to begin instruction as quickly and safely as possible. Under the plan, school districts could start whenever is best for them without obtaining a waiver to bypass Michigan’s Labor Day start requirement.


The Return to Learn plan also:


• Provides a $800 per pupil payment to K-12 schools to implement a robust distance learning plan and health and safety measures to return students safely to the classroom.
• Includes a $500 per teacher payment as hazard and overtime pay and to help cover costs incurred due to transitioning to distance learning teaching plans.
• Delivers $80 million to intermediate school districts to assist schools in coordinating and implementing distance learning plans and safety measures.
• Redefines the word “attendance” to mean “engaged in instruction” rather than “physically present,” allowing schools to be innovative and give students the opportunity to learn outside the classroom.
• Limits the use of snow days to encourage the use of remote instruction when in-person instruction is unsafe or unsuitable. Moving forward, schools would be granted just two forgiven days of instruction per year.
• Utilizes benchmark assessments to provide detailed information to parents and teachers about where a student needs additional help, ensuring kids do not fall behind in the wake of the public health crisis.
• Requires school districts to work with local health departments to establish safety requirements for extracurricular activities and sports in addition to regular school safety measures.


“As a dad, I wouldn’t send my kids back to school if I didn’t feel they would be kept safe,” Mueller said. “This plan will keep them out of harm’s way while ensuring they don’t miss out on necessary learning in the coming school year.”
The plan will be referred to the House and Senate Education Committees for consideration later this week.

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