DETROIT – School officials said it’s simple -- cancelling in-person holiday gatherings greatly raises the odds of in-person learning in January. Multiple school districts across Metro Detroit returned elementary school to face-to-face education so that they can squeeze in a little in-person learning before winter break. Parents and teachers are split on the decision as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. READ: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schoolsThe key to returning students to school safely rest with all of us, whether we have children or not. The leads to frustration for administrators and decision makers who are following the science.

DETROIT – An average of 3.6 percent of students who were enrolled in school this time last year are nowhere to be found and school districts are trying to find out what happened. Administrators are grappling with the decline in enrollment in terms of possible post education and financially -- if the students aren’t found, school districts will lose funding at a time when they need it most. Detroit Public Schools Community District sent out volunteers to locate students, and the district is still missing as many as 5 percent of its students. READ: Wellness teams sent out to check on Detroit Public Schools Community District studentsThe districts are concerned. That means if the districts don’t find and return the students they could face a reduction in per-pupil funding.

DETROIT School districts are starting to decide if theyre going to hold classes remotely this fall or not. Dearborn schools announced last week that the district will offer an online-only option for students amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. READ: Heres what Michigan school districts have planned for the fall amid the pandemicDistricts are expected to get their back-to-school plan to the state by Friday. The states largest district, with 51,000 students -- Detroit Public Schools Community District, has a split model and superintendent Nikolai Vitti said that parents should have a choice. Out of 29 school districts, most are leaning toward remote learning only.