All public school districts can apply including public charter and cyber schools.  Initial information regarding the eligibility component of the grant process can be found in the Guidelines for 23g MI Kids Back on Track Plans Development and Submission.

Districts must develop plans that describe the evidence-based actions the district is currently taking and will take to:

• Address unfinished learning.
• Get students to grade-level academic standards.
• Provide additional academic assistance to students at risk of falling behind their peers; or
• Help high school students prepare for postsecondary education.

  The plan must meet the following criteria:

• Reflect input from educators, parents, legal guardians, and community members.
• Include an analysis of student data and describe student needs.
• Identify evidence-based best practices, such as high-impact tutoring programs from the MiStrategyBank to be implemented or expanded in response to student needs.
• Include a plan to implement the evidence-based practices.
• Describe how the implementation of the evidence-based practices will be supported by individuals who can provide training and coaching to teachers and/or tutors.
• Describe how funds received under this section will create or expand the efforts and activities described in the plan.

First, look under the “State of Michigan Attachments” tab for the most recent “Funding Approval Reviewer Tool” attachment. The MDE team uses this when reviewing budgets to communicate details around any required modifications.

1. Unallowable expenses - go into the budget and delete those budget items that are flagged as “unallowable”. To delete a Budget Item, navigate to the appropriate budget item and click “Delete” in the upper right-hand corner of the Budget Item screen.
2. Modifications - go into the budget, review the line items flagged as “Modifications Required”, and check the comment at the bottom of the budget item page in the red area. Once the item is fixed, select "Save" in the top right corner. 
3. The Reviewer Tool document will also notify you to post your plan and contact information for parents on your website if it is still needed. Guidance on how to do that has been sent through email and will be posted on the grant website.

To see the allocation and Budget Summary page, click “Modifications in Progress” at the bottom of the left-hand scrolling bar. Then, move the application to “Apply Now” through the “Review Grant Selections.” Then, the “Budget Summary” page can be viewed. Once on the “Budget Summary” page, click the “Save” button in the top right to see your district’s allocation. Once the budget items have been added and the necessary changes have been made, scroll down on the left-side scrolling bar to “Modifications Submitted” and select this button. Please feel free to reach out toMDE-23g-MiKids@michigan.gov for further assistance.

After completing all the necessary steps, scroll down on the left-hand scrolling bar and select "Modifications Submitted." This will notify the MDE team that your district's budget is ready for review.

There is nothing in the legislation that dictates when the accelerated learning takes place. It can be during the school day or other times as well.

Click “Modifications in Progress” before editing any pages. After selecting “Modifications in Progress” at the bottom of the left-hand scrolling bar, then return to the “Review Grant Selections” page and try again.

The allocation you see is the total amount.

To keep with the department’s grant schedule, the team asks that all budgets be submitted by January 30th. Like the eligibility check in October/November, budgets will be reviewed on a first-submitted-first-reviewed basis. Budgets submitted and approved by January 30th will receive funding in the February state aid payment. The earlier a budget is submitted, the greater the chance it will be reviewed in time for the February state aid payment. Budgets submitted after January 30th will still be reviewed, and funding will be released in the March state aid payment.

Yes. The program expert and data collection and reporting are legislative requirements of the grant. In addition to having these as activities in the selected 23g strategies in the MICIP plan, identifying them in the budget indicates that the district has acknowledged this requirement, even if the amount is only $1.

Expenses not allowed are capital expenses, laptops, iPads, and other technology hardware, Tier 1 curricular resources and training, and indirect costs. As a reminder, meals, and snacks for students must be funded with any available federal funds before considering state aid funds. Please reference the meal guidance sent out to grantees in the emails sent in January.

Per MCL338.1623g(2) eligible recipients can use the funds for

• staffing,
• high-quality training,
• curriculum needs (Tier 2 or 3),
• student transportation needs,
• technology needs,
• materials, any purpose for which any district previously used funds allocated under section 98c, or
• other costs incurred because of the provision of services for the program.

If the software or printed materials are supplemental tier 2 or tier 3 supports of the district’s curriculum, then they are an allowable budget item.

Yes. When the submitted budget is reviewed, the line items will be compared to the updated version. The updated plan and budget can be submitted at the same time.

Yes. In the spirit of continuous improvement, districts may modify their approved MICIP 23g strategies and submit updated plans and budgets for approval at any time during the grant period.

Yes. Tutoring was approved as a strategy in the MICIP plan submitted for 23g eligibility. Districts are encouraged to submit budgets in January, but budgets submitted later will still be reviewed, and funding will be sent out in the next month’s state aid release.

Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) is currently vetting high-impact tutoring programs and will post a list of initially vetted programs on its website (www.gomaisa.org) on January 26.  Soon afterward, vetted high-impact tutoring programs will be added to the strategy bank. They will be curated by MAISA and labeled as high-impact tutoring strategies.