$300M state tutoring plan proposed for students hurt by Covid-mandated remote learning

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (FOX 2) - Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited the Lake Shores Public Schools District to talk about the MI Kids Back on Track plan.

It is a $300 million investment to expand tutoring to help students across the state.

"I guess to start the conversation with social emotion, because I know that’s been such a big impact on what you've seen, especially coming out of Covid," said Dr. Joseph DiPonio, superintendent of Lake Shores Public Schools.

"And a lot of misconceptions about what that means," said Whitmer. "So I love you are starting with that question."

The superintendent served as a moderator for the round table discussion as educators spoke candidly about moving past the Covid pandemic.

"It’s been a struggle for a lot of students, a lot of adults, a lot of teachers, to try to return to status quo," said Dave Warehall, a teacher.

The impact of Covid on education after mandated remote learning and general disruption to class schedules in the past couple of years - led to the need for more resources to keep some students on track.

"Having tutoring and having those resources for extra intervention more intervention," said Debbie Peacock, a teacher.

Last month, the governor proposed her fifth budget making record investments in education, including in-class resources

Whitmer says hearing directly from educators is vital.

"Understanding kind of what they are seeing here on the ground, to what we can do to lure more people in education treating it like that profession that it is," Whitmer said. "Making sure they can get compensated and keep good people in front of the classroom, and lure others in as a part of our statewide strategy."

Because all school districts are unique and needs vary, FOX 2 asked if Whitmer will be doing other roundtable, discussions.

"That’s part of why it’s important that we follow up with the resources," she said. "But make sure that we hold high standards and hold people accountable (and) let districts make the determinations of what’s going to help them best meet their students' needs - because each is dealing with a very different circumstance."

To learn more about the MI Kids Back on Track plan, CLICK HERE.