In the letter, MTI asked the district and the School Board to provide assurances that the decision to reopen was not influenced by the Republican-controlled Senate Joint Finance Committee’s decision to reward school districts holding in-person classes with additional funding. The committee’s decision affected funding for 172 school districts, which did not include Madison. A district spokesman told the Wisconsin State Journal the decision was not related to the Republican move.
MTI also sought assurances the district would work with health authorities to expedite the delivery of vaccine to educators who have been working in person or who will be returning to classrooms in March and an explanation of the metrics used by the district to determine when it is safe to reopen among other questions.