CALUMET — The sudden closure of face-to-face classes in schools across Michigan, compelled the state to make several changes in how school districts conduct distance learning. One of the changes involved the state returning a fair degree of authority back to the intermediate school districts, and to the local school districts, enabling them more flexibility in how they present learning materials to their students. Calumet-Laurium-Keweenaw Public Schools Superintendent, Christopher Davidson, is one administrator who sees the COVID-19 school suspension as an ideal opportunity for education stakeholders across Michigan to start conversations with the state.

“From the very beginning,” Davidson said, “I’ve seen this as possibly one of those catalysts needed for some change in the overall state of education in the state of Michigan.”

Davidson said that in many discussions he has referred to the “way of doing things in Michigan,” as very archaic.

“We thought that this was an opportune time to return some of that decision-making authority back to the districts,” said Davidson, “and let the districts figure out, based on their resources, based on their students, the community — based on all those factors that are specific to each community — let them have the flexibility to create a plan that we think is going to succeed, and help our kids succeed.”

Davidson said there are superintendents throughout the state who have pushed hard for years to make state-level changes necessary to providing a higher quality education to Michigan students, changes that would require the state to return authority back to the districts, and allow flexibility.

“Things that we’ve pushed for, quite frankly,” said Davidson, “some of us have been attacked by the state for.”

Davidson emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic is something no one expected expected to have to experience in their lifetime, and no one wants to ever go through it again. Yet, it may turn out to be what is needed to bring about changes to the state education system, or at least open talks with state officials.

“As we settle into a new type of learning, and this begins to be our new norm,” said Davidson, “that is, in my opinion, the next step: To continue working with state legislators, with the Michigan Department of Education, the governor’s office, anyone possible — bringing educators together to say ‘look: this is what we’ve learned, we’ve found these are good things, and let’s put a system in place that allows us utilize some of this.”