Detroit Schools To Resume In-Person Learning On March 8

DETROIT — Detroit schools will return to in-person learning and teaching on March 8, the district announced Monday.

The decision to return to in-person learning and teaching follows careful and consistent use of science and data by closely monitoring COVID-19 infection rates, the Detroit Public Schools Community District and Detroit Federation of Teachers said in a joint statement.

“When pandemic infection rates in the City climbed beyond the five percent mark in November, we made the proactive decision to suspend in person learning until rates declined in order to keep our students and employees as safe as possible,” Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said. “Now that the infection rate in the City has consistently been well below five percent, we are ready to welcome our students and teachers back who choose to resume in person learning and teaching on Monday, March 8.

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"With infection rates low, employees having full access to the vaccine, and the confidence in knowing that we can keep students and employees safe at school since we did it in the fall, we look forward to more students and teachers returning to school for in person learning and teaching.”

The district will continue providing an option for online learning, officials said. Recent surveys conducted by the district of families and teachers showed a near doubling of interest in returning to in-person instruction among families and teachers as compared to survey results when the 20-21 school year began in September officials said

"The decision for Detroit Public Schools Community District to have Face to Face learning as an option was a decision made based upon the current data available," said Terrence Martin, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers. "We continue to stand by operating in the best interest of the teachers, faculty, students and their families. Teachers and families still have the option to continue virtually or participate in Face to Face. We will continue to monitor this situation and make sure the best decisions and practices are in place."

The move by the district was announced the day many state officials wanted districts to begin offering in-person instruction. Health officials and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in January announced a goal to have all school districts offering in-person learning in addition to virtual learning options for students by March 1.