• Michigan Governor announces Michigan K-12 Schools will remain closed due to COVID-19.

LANSING - Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer held a press conference this morning to update Michiganders on the steps her administration is taking to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Michigan's Governor announced that she signed an executive order announcing that face- to-face learning at K-12 schools will be suspended for the remainder of the school year. Seniors will graduate, teachers and staff will be paid, and all tests are canceled (SAT, M-STEP). School districts are tasked to come up with an alternative distance learning plan appropriate and specific to their locale, and submitted for approval.

Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services (MDHSS) Dr. Joneigh Khaldun told the media that Michigan is about, “A month out from the apex of COVID-19, and after that more testing will be needed to determine when to return."

Special needs services for students will not be canceled and IEP will be honored but will be delayed.

According to a press release from the Michigan Education Association (MEA), “MEA stands ready to work with school leaders on a district-by-district basis to serve the learning needs of students in every community across Michigan. Distance learning can never fully replace face-to-face time between students and educators, but we must do the very best we can under these unprecedented circumstances,” stated MEA President Paula Herbart.

Governor Whitmer will take questions at a virtual town hall at 7:00 pm tonight.