LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday created the Student Recovery Advisory Council – and the superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools will be chairing it.
The council will provide guidance and recommendations to ensure Michigan students have the tools and resources they need to get back on track during the pandemic, according to a news release.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Michigan hard, and our students, families, teachers and school staff have all felt the strain,” Whitmer said. “Still, our educators have worked tirelessly to teach our children during this pandemic under the most stressful conditions, and for that our state is forever indebted to them for their service. It is important to remember that schools also provide other services that students need to succeed, including reliable access to the internet, nutritious meals and mental health supports.”
Last summer, the governor launched the Return to School Advisory Council, which developed a framework to inform K-12 districts planning for the 2020-21 school year.
“It is an honor to serve as the chairperson of the Student Recovery Advisory Council,” said Kevin Polston, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools’ superintendent. “Last summer, this collaborative group of engaged citizens developed the MI Safe School Roadmap, which was vital to supporting in-person learning. We look forward to ‘fixing the road ahead’ for the state of Michigan through a safe, equitable and high-performance educational system that provides access and opportunity for each child to reach their full potential.”
The council will have 29 members and have the following tasks:
- Recommending actions to develop and improve systems for academic support for students who experienced learning loss due to COVID-19.
- Developing and submitting recommendations to the governor, state superintendent, and state budget director regarding student recovery.
- Recommending actions to develop and improve systems for mental and physical health for students impacted by COVID-19.
- Recommending actions to develop and improve systems to support high school students transitioning into postsecondary education.
- Recommending actions to develop and improve out-of-school time supports, including, but not limited to, summer school, before and after school programs, and extended school years.
- Assembling critical voices from the education and public health communities to assist in identifying key challenges students face due to the pandemic.
- Providing other information or advice or take other actions as requested by the governor.
- Reporting regularly to the governor on its activities and make recommendations on an ongoing basis.