Education

About 90% of teachers in Michigan said they planned on getting the vaccine, with two-thirds already getting one shot or scheduled to get one. That's well above the national average, a new survey shows.

The all-important Count Day for Michigan schools has arrived. Student attendance this year will determine classroom funding for the following year.

 In 2000 it started as an organization as an after-school program for underserved children in metro Detroit. Many of them have since become certified in music production, photography, and media arts.

More than 12,000 students have registered for the Junior Achievement career fair program starting in March.

The state estimates at least 4.1 million of its residents qualify for the program, which will pay the tuition for anyone who wants to get an associate's degree or gain a skill certification.

On Feb. 24, the Detroit public schools district will reopen its learning centers to offer support for some families as it prepares for a return to in-person learning. "The hope is that this can begin by early to mid-march."

Every year the Community Choice Foundation gives $100,000 total to students who plan to use their skills and education to make Michigan a better place to live and work.

A study done by the Michigan High School Athletic Association claims 30K rapid COVID tests to athletes over the past 3 months had a negative rate of 99.8 percent. "We keep asking the state of Michigan where is your science, because we have our science," Jayme McElvany said.

Southfield Public Schools sent out an email to warn its 5,600 families after the district was contacted by concerned parents who heard a national story about self-harm and online suicide games.

Michigan requested Monday that standardized test scores be waived for the next year of class due to a disruptive school year following the pandemic. Instead, the state wants schools to use beginning and end of year benchmark assessments.

There are some criteria. Participants should be learning virtually come from a low-income home, or have a parent whos a first responder. So far the tutors are helping 15 students across Metro Detroit. 

After push-back, last fall, the teachers' union, and the Detroit Public School Community District agreed to base the return to in-person learning on the infection rate. Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti says it must be below 5 percent. Right now in Detroit, it's at 7 percent.

In Novi, they have had a hybrid-online and in-person plan in place since September. The assistant superintendent of Novi Community School says they've proven in-person learning is safe with Social distancing, masks, and hand washing.  He says vaccines have to be ramped up immediately.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plans to call on schools to return to the classroom on March 1.

School districts across the state of Michigan are taking different approaches to in-person learning for high schoolers as restrictions were lifted this week from the MDHHS.