Walz Approves Middle, High School Reopenings Starting Monday

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Citing progress on the coronavirus vaccination front, Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday announced plans to let more middle and high school students return to the classroom for in-person learning as early as Monday.

Elementary schools are already allowed to open with proper safety precautions in place. Under the governor’s updated plan, all middle and high school students could return to their schools for hybrid or in-person learning starting Monday if safety protocols are in place, while he expects all schools to offer their students some form of in-person learning by March 8.

Key decisions would be up to school districts. Families could still choose distance learning as an option.

“It’s time for students to be back in the classroom,” Walz said in a statement. “We aren’t out of the woods, but our relentless progress with vaccines and Minnesotans’ vigilance has put us closer than ever to the end of this pandemic.”

The governor’s statement said nearly 25 percent of teachers have now been vaccinated, while other important trends are also improving.

Republicans called on Walz to simply let schools reopen immediately. Rep. Ron Kresha, of Little Falls, said the governor’s own data shows only minimal infection rates for teachers who’ve returned. He said continued closures have devastating consequences that outweigh the risks, especially for struggling students.