Michigan School Districts Will Use $20.5M in Grants to Provide Safe, Healthy, and Supportive Learning Opportunities and Environments

LANSING, MI – Children in 76 intermediate school districts, public school districts, and public charter schools will benefit from nearly $20.5 million in grants for mental health and other services that the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has awarded.

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act funding signed into law by President Joe Biden pays for expanding vital mental health services and provides additional support for states and districts to design and enhance initiatives that will promote safer, more inclusive, and positive school environments for all students, educators, and school staff.

“Improving the health, safety, and wellness of Michigan students is a critical goal of Michigan’s Strategic Top 10 Education Plan,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “These grants will make our schools safer and more supportive for our students.”

Funds from the competitive Stronger Connections Grant Program may be used by Michigan local education agencies to provide student services and additional training to teachers and staff to provide a wide array of services that may include:

• Fostering safe, healthy, supportive, and drug-free environments.
• Implementing safety and violence prevention programs.
• Creating and implementing anti-bullying and harassment plans.
• Developing and implementing positive and fair discipline policies and practices.
• Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support to support and respond to student needs.
• Increasing student access to mental health services.

Dr. Rice noted the importance of this type of funding amid cuts in school mental health funding in the state’s fiscal year 2025 budget. “The legislature had made strong and much-appreciated investments in school mental health and safety in the years prior to fiscal year 2025,” he said. “I call on legislators to provide additional recurring funding in these areas to support students and staff.”

The local education agencies that are receiving Stronger Connections grants are:

• Addison Community Schools, $27,056.
• Airport Community Schools, $29,495.
• Akron-Fairgrove Schools, $10,000
• Alpena Public Schools, $55,638.
• Atlanta Community Schools, $44,955.
• Bark River-Harris Schools, $90,110.
• Bay City Academy, $12,000.
• Beecher Community School District, $250,730.
• Birmingham Public Schools, $24,490.
• Blended Learning Academies Credit Recovery High School, Lansing, $8,261.
• Britton Deerfield Schools, $15,804.
• Caniff Liberty Academy, Hamtramck, $15,400.
• Cass City Public Schools, $15,498.
• Clio Area Schools, $15,280.
• Coleman Community School District, $12,386.
• Coloma Community Schools, $25,526.
• Comstock Public Schools, $48,000.
• Dansville Schools, $10,422.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District, $8,263,618.
• Detroit Service Learning Academy, $48,450.
• Discovery Creative Pathways, Harper Woods, $30,000.
• Eagle's Nest Academy, Flint, $10,000.
• Ecorse Public Schools, $58,979.
• Elk Rapids Schools, $10,000.
• Fennville Public Schools, $20,469.
• Flat Rock Community Schools, $15,000.
• Gladwin Community Schools, $47,388.
• Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, $20,000.
• Great Lakes Learning Academy, East Lansing, $15,524.
• Grosse Pointe Public School System, $36,573.
• Harper Woods School District, $44,950.
• Holland Public Schools, $52,818.
• Homer Community Schools, $102,392.
• Hopkins Public Schools, $7,720.
• Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Detroit, $12,856.
• Kenowa Hills Public Schools, $75,431.
• Kensington Woods Schools, $122,068.
• Kentwood Public Schools, $268,262.
• LakeVille Community Schools, $32,188.
• Lighthouse Connections Academy, Southfield, $57,461.
• Macomb Intermediate School District, $1,487,166.
• Madison District Public Schools, $19,028.
• Manchester Community Schools, $8,261.
• Marquette-Alger Regional Education Service Agency, $624,963.
• Mattawan Consolidated School, $14,909.
• Michigan Educational Choice Center, Detroit, $27,685.
• Michigan Online School, $26,708.
• Midland Public Schools, $437,217.
• Morenci Area Schools, $10,400.
• Multicultural Academy, Ann Arbor, $117,702.
• Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, $4,904,019.
• New Dawn Academy of Warren, $7,800.
• Niles Community Schools, $84,000.
• North Huron Schools, $9,000.
• Oakland International Academy, $24,700.
• Ovid-Elsie Area Schools, $12,000.
• Owendale-Gagetown Area Schools, $20,000.
• Oxford Community Schools, $202,806.
• Plainwell Community Schools, $21,713.
• Quincy Community Schools, $18,163.
• River Rouge School District, $80,776.
• Rudyard Area Schools, $204,000.
• Saginaw Public Schools, $515,964.
• Sand Creek Community Schools, $20,530.
• Sault Area Public Schools, $31,620.
• St. Charles Community Schools, $9,531.
• Summit Academy North, Romulus, $75,000.
• Taylor School District, $206,572.
• Ubly Community Schools, $8,261.
• Vanderbilt Area School, $22,000.
• Warren Consolidated Schools, $232,267.
• Wayne Regional Education Service Agency, $733,846.
• Webberville Community Schools, $8,261.
• Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools, $28,989.
• Wyandotte Public Schools, $34,457.
• Ypsilanti Community Schools, $190,052.

Grants awarded to Macomb Intermediate School District, Marquette-Alger Regional Education Service Agency, Muskegon Intermediate School District, and Wayne Regional Education Service Agency will provide services to consortium school districts and charter schools within their boundary lines.

“Saginaw Public Schools is pleased to accept the Stronger Connections grant award provided by the Michigan Department of Education through Title IV federal funding,” said Superintendent Dr. Ramont Roberts. “This grant will undoubtedly enhance our ability to provide sound mental health support for students through training and resources. It also increases our safety initiatives throughout the district, which will include enhancing communication systems, hiring additional safety personnel, and adding mechanisms for early identification of threats.

“These enhancements will assist us in improving the overall climate and culture for our students and staff,” he said. “This funding signals the importance of educating students differently, by acknowledging external factors that impact student development and ultimately student outcomes. This represents a monumental shift in the landscape of public education and a wise move in the direction of improving social development and achievement for all students.”

Superintendent Randy Lindquist of the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District said: “Student mental health is a top priority for our schools in Muskegon County. For students to thrive academically, they need to feel safe both physically and mentally. We are grateful for the support from our federal and state partners through grants like this, which help us create more positive learning environments.”

Marquette-Alger Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) Superintendent Dr. Greg Nyen said: “Marquette-Alger RESA is honored to be identified as a recipient of the Stronger Connections grant funding. This funding will support the effective implementation of the social-emotional prevention and intervention vision for our RESA and the local districts within Marquette and Alger counties in the Upper Peninsula.

“This grant will allow us to establish Student Wellness coordinator positions that will play a pivotal role in building a comprehensive system of social-emotional prevention and intervention programming across multiple school districts, with a primary focus on tier one prevention/universal practices,” he said. “Additionally, the funding will facilitate essential staff trainings, educator stipends, and reimbursements to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of our mental health and safety plans, contributing to a positive and supportive school climate for all students.”

Grant funds are available in this award cycle from June 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2026.

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