He's expected to announce that in-person classes won't resume this year. Walz had previously allowed elementary schools to open if they adhered to certain health and safety guidelines, but had kept middle and high schools under tougher rules limiting when they could hold in-person classes based in part on the severity of the pandemic in their area. The governor told reporters that he realizes the restrictions are painful, but said the pandemic is still threatening to overwhelm hospitals. Students will continue to participate in distancing learning as they have been doing since Walz closed schools on March 18. Governor Flanagan, Attorney General Ellison, Secretary of State Simon, and State Auditor Blaha. Walz: All Minnesota schools should offer at least some in-person The good news is that hopefully, around May, June, the normal times schools would be finishing, we'd be getting back into a place where we could do those normal things back in the classroom we both have to recover from COVID, get through it, first of all, recover from it and then launch into what comes next. And you deserve to have your leadership, your governor, tell you what you need to hear and where things are at, not what maybe we want to hear.". He is expected to announce that school districts will have control over reopening plans. Live updates: Walz's omicron hospital plan, state expands - KENS Tim Walz announces a back-to-school plan for Minnesota, where the state will work with individual school districts to decide whether in-person, distance or hybrid learning is right for. The governor said nearly 25 percent of teachers have been vaccinated, and the state plans to have 18,000 vaccine doses available for teachers next week, which the state says is an increase from past allocations. 1:30 p.m. On Tuesday Governor Tim Walz announced that the state is expanding its "Kids Deserve a Shot" program to include children between the ages of 5 and 11. Tim Walz and DFL legislative leaders have said the bill could become law this year. Governor Walz is investing over $430 million in federal funding to help schools, educators, students, and families through this uncertain time. "We Already know that subs are in short supply. The Governor has also prioritized family and community needs by mobilizing his state agencies to create strategies and flexibilities for child care and school-age care providers and protections for workers who will need to provide care for children during the school-day. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz weighs in on the new CDC masking guidelines as the Delta variant spreads. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, said the GOP plans to approve a bill in the state Senate that would ban the governor from using his emergency powers to close schools and said the decision should be up to local school leaders. Storied Little Rock Central High School, cited by Sarah Huckabee Sanders' campaign as formative in her rise to the Arkansas governor's mansion, was the site Friday of a student walkout to protest . Minnesota has seen a decline in new reported coronavirus cases over the past few weeks, following a post-holiday surge that was still well below November case counts. 2023 Chicago aldermanic election - Wikipedia Many children returned to school on Monday from winter break and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expects COVID-19 to spread quickly through schools because of the Omicron variant and said the already shortage of substitute teachers is challenging. He is speaking alongside several other state leaders and the Ecolab CEO. "Minnesota has much to be proud of around education: some of the finest educators in the world, some of the best research at our universities and to be very honest, some of the best outcomes. "Testing is the real key, along with the boosters, to helping stop the spread.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. May 13, 2021 5:28 AM Gov. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Hastings 33, STMA 32, In a shocking ending, the Raiders won the last three matches from STMA by pin, and stole the match from #1 STMA, 33-32, winning the state championship. Watch it live on ETV channel 859/20 or here on Facebook starting at 2pm. Funding comes from the Governor's Education. MDE and MDH will be there supporting our schools every step of the way to help them make decisions that will prioritize the health and well-being of their school communities.. Even as he was ending the statewide order, he said that entities like hospitals and airlines would still be allowed to require masking if they choose. But the governor said he doesnt want to push districts and teachers to return to the class, but partner with them.. He said the state is trying to give districts the tools to open and hopes theyll follow suit. 30, 2020 at 12:17 PM PDT. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announces plan for schools to combat pandemic learning loss and improve racial equity January 26, 2021 / 7:13 AM / CBS News Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The governor issued the state's long-awaited guidance Thursday afternoon. Tim Walz's administration waited until nearly 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon to release a report showing violent crime has soared in Minnesota in back-to-back years. Gov. The federal government of course, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons license. RSS feed News a set of safety protocols for schools to follow. We're having deep conversations every day, especially around school and looking at events that are coming," Walz told reporters at the state Capitol. The change is thanks to improving population numbers and a slow winter season, according to the DNR. Many of the remaining districts that are not open need more staff and money to help them meet safety standards outlined by the CDC, said union president Denise Specht. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The plan's emphasis on racial equity comes in the wake of national protests over racial disparities in police responses after the killing for George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Meeting the needs of everyone won't be easy and the solutions will look different everywhere.". Last week, following the CDC guidance, the union said many layers of COVID-19 mitigation should be in place to reopen schools, such as high-quality ventilation. Minnesota health and education officials are considering the CDC's new mask guidance and expect to make a decision within a few days. Tim Walz from its booth. Walker Orenstein reports on the state Legislature for MinnPost, with a particular focus on covering issues affecting Greater Minnesota. Tuesday, Jan. 11. We went from really horrendous to just horrendous, Walz told reporters. Gov. Above, Senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz listen as Hennepin County District 4 Commissioner Angela Conley speaks on June 5, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under the leadership of Governor Walz and in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education and many stakeholders, we have developed an evidence-based plan that offers the right mix of support and flexibility for schools and communities around the state.. Tim Walz on Wednesday paved the way for middle and high school students to return to classrooms across Minnesota by relaxing limits on in-person learning, a decision he made based on data. The CDCs new guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, but will help clear the way for reopening workplaces, schools and other venues even removing the need for masks or social distancing for those who are fully vaccinated. COVID-19 news updates / Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Deputy Health Commissioner Dan Huff also echoed those comments and said health officials are not seeing data to indicate "significant community spread" is connected to schools. ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Gov. If you have questions, [email protected]. While the pandemic has led to conversations about social distancing and mask-wearing and vaccines, he said, "its also shined a very harsh spotlight on those inequities, whether they're inequities in education opportunities or outcomes.". Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease doctor, on CBS This Morning on Wednesday said teachers being vaccinated before returning to school is a "non-workable situation.". Harsher words came from Tony Chesak, executive director of the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association. FOX 9 (FOX 9) - Gov. I just think that its not practically enforceable at this stage.. In the past few days, though, theres been positive news on new COVID-19 caseloads and hospitalizations. Tim Walz said Thursday. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. "Walz checks" are only the beginning. Tim Walz announced Wednesday that all students in middle school and high school can return to classrooms starting Monday, a decision that comes as the pandemic has eased in Minnesota. People may translate this guidance meaning that the pandemic is over., Malcolm said if it were feasible to keep a mask mandate just for unvaccinated people, I definitely would have liked to see that. You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at theHealth Department website. Please visit the Minnesota Department of Health for the most current recommendations on COVID-19. At the time, the CDC said vaccinated people no longer had to wear masks in indoor public spaces. By Scott Hanson Jul 14, 2020 | 12:38 AM. Some parents have been frustrated their schools havent offered in-person learning. Protect yourselves and your community. Watch: Walz unveils changes to states COVID-19 orders: Walz and state officials take questions from reporters: Data in these graphs are based on the Minnesota Department of Health's cumulative totals released at 11 a.m. daily. It is a challenge," Walz said. To republish, copy the HTML at right, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to MinnPost. What are we waiting for?. Gov. Walz aims to lighten load on teachers with executive order St. Paul, M.N. Malcolm said during the Thursday news briefing that Minnesotas current safe learning guidance on mask-wearing in schools will stay in effect through the end of the school year. The state started allowing younger students to return to in-person learning last week. It's a "wooded wonderland" boasting "five magnificent waterfalls.". Walz said he expects 1 million Minnesotans to have at least one vaccine soon. many layers of COVID-19 mitigation should be in place, learn about all our free newsletter options, Lindsay Whalen, no longer U of Ms womens basketball coach, skips presser saying, Im a human being, The Cello Still Sings tells of former Minnesota Orchestra cellists family connection to the Holocaust, As the pandemic ebbs, Minnesota lawmakers and their staff resume taking free trips, With carbon-free law in place, Minnesota Democrats now debating whether to mandate energy storage, An illustrated guide to the signs of Minnesota spring, State funds available to recruit diverse police officers, but not all departments are asking for the money, Addressing (and improving) life expectancies for Black Minnesotans, For years, St. Paul took a hands-off approach to trash collection. There will also be families that wont be comfortable returning to in-person learning next month. The GOP tax plan, which would cost $13 billion over two years compared with the $5.4 billion that Walz proposed last month, has similarities that could be starting points for negotiations. Teams will be allowed to resume practices on Jan. 4, the people given advance details say, but games wont be allowed until later. We all recognize that COVID-19 is going to continue to impact our schools and our communities for months to come, but those impacts are varied and hard to predict, said MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm. Data in these graphs are based on the Minnesota Department of Health's cumulative totals released at 11 a.m. daily. "Regardless of today's announcement, there will still be educators who need the vaccine before they can safely return to their buildings because of local conditions," Specht said. The governor seems to be the last person to arrive at the conclusion everyone else reached months ago: distance learning has been a disaster for kids, and they have got to be back in the classroom right now, Chamberlain said.