Grants to 16 Michigan Districts and ISDs Will Add Up to Better Math Teaching, Learning

LANSING – Children across Michigan will benefit from grants to improve mathematics teaching and learning.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is announcing that it has awarded nearly $25 million in grants to 16 local education agencies.

Funding is from Section 388.1623h of the Fiscal Year 2024 State School Aid Act, approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and was awarded through a competitive process to improve mathematics teaching and learning.

“It’s exciting to see the enormous interest of local and intermediate school districts in these math grants,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “These grants will help improve mathematics teaching and learning throughout the state.”

Among the grant awardees is Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA), which is receiving more than $1.8 million that it will use to ensure educators and students have access to high-quality, highly aligned, and culturally relevant math instructional materials through a guided six-step adoption process. By the end of a pilot phase, participating districts will have tested and proven resources that are not only effective but also resonate with the diverse needs of their students to fully implement in the 2025-26 school year.

"In order for our students to thrive, they must see themselves in culturally relevant and rich instruction, and we must support our educators as they implement research-based and evolving curriculum," said Dr. Daveda Colbert, Wayne RESA superintendent.” We are grateful for this critical funding that will undoubtedly strengthen our math instruction and our students' learning by enriching the way we involve teachers in adopting teaching tools and materials to best serve our students in a constantly evolving landscape."

Applicants could apply in the following categories designated in state statute:

• Continued system development, capacity building, and networking spaces for early math specialists in districts and intermediate school districts.
• Incentives and supports for grades K-5 schools in purchasing and implementing high-quality mathematics instructional materials programs to engage students in equitable, high-quality mathematics learning experiences using a guided adoption process through intermediate districts.
• Supports for expanding math recovery specialists statewide through intermediate school districts.
• Supports for secondary schools in offering supplemental just-in-time, personalized support programs that are designed to keep students on track in their math classes and for graduation.

All the funded agencies are listed below and organized by the category for which they are funded.

• Systems development:
• Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, $10.4 million.
• Ypsilanti Community Schools, $809,800.
• High-quality mathematics instructional materials:
• Pickford Public Schools, $66,151.
• Pontiac School District, 181,346.
• Walkerville Public Schools, $77,110.
• West Branch-Rose City Area Schools, $142,000.
• Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District, $963,327.
• Wayne RESA, $1,847,740.
• Math recovery:
• Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, $3,556,834.
• Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, $334,600.
• Just-in-time supports:
• Dearborn Public Schools, $3,717,878.
• Fennville Public Schools, $81,457.
• Lincoln Consolidated Schools, $482,500.
• Northview Public Schools, $206,501.
• Genesee Intermediate School District, $108,993.
• Washtenaw Intermediate School District, $2,019,400.

Eligible applicants – intermediate school districts, traditional school districts, and public charter schools – submitted over 100 applications through the competitive process.

The grants to Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District and Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency support teachers across the state.

“On behalf of our children and ISDs, in collaboration with the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, we are excited to support K-5 educators and leaders throughout Michigan in implementing research-supported mathematics practices,” said Mr. Alan Tulppo, superintendent of the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District.

Five grants support teachers and students within their county – Genesee Intermediate School District, Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, Washtenaw Intermediate School District, and Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency. The rest of the funding supports individual district efforts to improve mathematics teaching and learning.

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