Walz To Announce Fall Plans For Minnesota Schools: Livestream

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL METRO, MN — Gov. Tim Walz is set to announce his administration's plans for Minnesota schools in the fall amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Walz will address the media at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Joining Walz will be Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm, Department of Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker, and Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Heather Mueller.

A source tells KSTP that Walz Thursday will announce that school districts — not the state — will be given the final decision for what to do this fall.

In June, the Minnesota Department of Education asked school leaders across the state to plan for three different scenarios so that school communities can be flexible amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The three scenarios are:

• In-person learning for all students
• Hybrid learning with strict social distance and capacity limits
• Distance learning only

In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases have risen in Minnesota and spiked in states across the United States.

On Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced an emergency citywide order closing bar areas within restaurants and nightclubs to limit the risk of customers congregating together and spreading the virus.

A total of 681 new cases of coronavirus and nine deaths were reported in Minnesota Wednesday. More than 300 people were hospitalized for the virus Wednesday.

The overall death toll in the state from COVID-19 is over 1,500.