LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Republicans laid out their plans for school to return in the fall as the state waits for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s to release her own guidelines.
The Republican arm of the ‘Return To Learn’ plan pledged an appropriation of $1 billion, ostensibly to stop the bloodletting of frightened, desperate school distracts that have seven days to turn in budgets and are opting for worst-case scenarios with layoffs.
They proposed a $1.3 billion plan to help K-12 schools reopen during the pandemic, saying districts should have flexibility to start when they want and to offer remote instruction as an alternative if necessary.
The one-time funding, including an $800 per-pupil increase to address new costs related to COVID-19, would come from $3 billion in federal relief. Teachers would get a $500 bonus.
But the Republicans can’t do any more than Whitmer right now, short of announcements and pledges of support.
Lawmakers are all currently operating without teeth because the money from federal officials simply isn’t there yet.
That means districts need to plan for more than a million dollars in personal protective equipment on their own. They have to budget for teachers and programs on their own and wait it out with Lansing -- on both sides of the aisle.
You can watch Paula Tutman’s full story in the video posted above.