Gov. Tim Walz and state education leaders will announce July 30 whether schools can reopen this fall and, if so, under what restrictions.
Schools and families have been awaiting the decision since mid-June, when state officials said they’d make the call around the end of July. The Minnesota Department of Education on Thursday set a firm date for the announcement.
On July 30, MDE and @GovTimWalz will share Minnesota’s strategy to educate students and keep communities healthy during the 2020-21 school year. We’re grateful for his leadership and the partnership with @mnhealth as we work to support our students, educators and families. pic.twitter.com/SOVG2hIr4X
— MN Dept. Education (@MnDeptEd) July 23, 2020
School districts have been told to plan for three different scenarios for teaching during the coronavirus pandemic: in-person instruction without strict social distancing; full distance learning; and a hybrid model that blends the two.
Walz, while announcing a statewide mask mandate Wednesday for schools and other public buildings, indicated that schools would be reopening in some form.
Whatever the state decides, local schools and districts can choose to be more cautious with their instruction this fall, and districts will have to offer full-time distance learning as an option.