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MI Classroom Heroes Grant: Teacher and School Support Staff COVID-19

MI Classroom Heroes Grant: Teacher and School Support Staff COVID-19

Eligibility List Appeal Submissions

  • If a school district or nonprofit nonpublic school has discovered clerical errors in its eligibility list submission and wants to correct those errors, school personnel may request a revision to their eligibility list. To request a revision to a district's or nonprofit nonpublic school's eligibility list, a written appeal with supporting documentation must be submitted to the state Treasury Department with a copy of the claimant(s)' Form 5734, Teacher and School Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Certification, TSSC19 Grant Excel Template spreadsheet, and any supporting documentation. All appeals and supporting documentation are required to be submitted through the state Treasury Department's eSignature website and received no later than April 9, 2021.
  • Learn more about the Audit Process at TREASURY - TSSC19 Grant Topics - Auditing (michigan.gov).
  • Appeals Received by District

MI Classroom Heroes Grant Distribution

  • The second round of payments were distributed March 15, 2021.  Districts and nonprofit nonpublic school appeals are due to the Department of Treasury no later than April 9.  Checks for district and nonprofit nonpublic revised eligibility list appeals approved by Treasury will be issued to eligible teachers and school support staff around May 31, 2021 to the address of residency provided on the eligibility lists by the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school.
  • Grant amounts varied for recipients based on the eligibility lists Treasury received from school districts. A maximum of $500 was awarded to 1.0 FTE eligible teachers, and $250 was awarded to 1.0 FTE eligible school support staff. Some grant amounts may have been reduced for less than 1.0 FTEs. If you believe the grant amount you received was in error, please reach out to your school district.  If your district or nonprofit nonpublic school finds this is a clerical error, there is a process the district can initiate with Treasury for reconsideration.
  • Grant funds are subject to tax. Taxes were NOT withheld and will be required to be included in the recipients' taxable income calculations.
  • If your address or name has changed and you did not receive your grant check, please contact your school to verify eligibility with the TSSC19 grant programs.
  • If your address or name is incorrect with the payment you received, please contact your school to submit updated demographic information to Treasury. Return your payment to Treasury (Michigan Department of Treasury, P.O. Box 30788, Lansing, MI 48909) and once Treasury has received corrected information, the payment will be reissued. 

Teacher and School Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Program Description

Pursuant to Public Act 166 of 2020, legislation was passed that appropriated funding for the Teacher COVID-19 Grant and School Support COVID-19 Grant Programs.

The Teacher COVID-19 Grant program was created by Public Act 166 of 2020 to recognize the additional time classroom teachers in a district or nonprofit nonpublic school spent outside of normal working hours and additional costs classroom teachers have incurred or experienced to provide a continuity of learning during the period of school closure in 2019-2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was funded under Article 5, Section 949p for grants to eligible K-12 classroom teachers.

The School Support COVID-19 Grant program was created by Public Act 166 of 2020 for grants to eligible K-12 school support staff to recognize the additional time spent outside of normal working hours, hazardous conditions, and additional costs school support staff have incurred or experienced to provide services to students during the period of school closure in 2019-2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note if you work for a nonprofit nonpublic school you are not eligible for this grant. The program was funded under Article 5, Section 949q for grants to eligible K-12 school support staff.

Key Terms

  • Classroom Teacher
    • A K-12 full-time or part-time teacher with an assigned class who provided continuity of learning to students during the 2019-2020 period of school closure that resulted from COVID-19. For the purposes of this section, classroom teacher does not include substitute teachers, para-professionals, support staff, or administrators.
  • School Support Staff
    • A K-12 full-time or part-time para-professional, aide, or non-instructional staff, according to the registry of educational personnel, who provided services to students during the 2019-2020 period of school closure that resulted from COVID-19. School support staff does not include substitute teachers or classroom teachers.
  • District
    • A local school district as that term is defined in section 6 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.6, or a public school academy as that term is defined in section 5 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.5. For the purpose of these Grant Programs, school district includes local and intermediate school districts and public school academies.
  • Nonprofit Nonpublic School
    • A nonprofit private, denominational or parochial school.

Program Details and Reporting Requirements

School Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools are required to identify eligible classroom teachers and support staff and email eligible grant recipients Form 5734, the Teacher and Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Certification, by November 9, 2020.

Eligible Classroom teachers must return Form 5734, the Teacher and Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Certification, to the district or nonprofit nonpublic school in the form and manner the district requires by December 4, 2020.

School districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools are then required to compile the list of eligible classroom teachers and electronically submit the list by December 16, 2020 using the electronic submission system and form provided by the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Grant Funding Distribution

Next, the Michigan Department of Treasury will distribute funding allocated under the Act directly to eligible classroom teachers in an equal amount up to $500.00 per FTE K-12 classroom teacher employed by the district or nonprofit nonpublic school or assigned to regularly and continuously work under contract in a public school operated by the district or in a nonprofit nonpublic school. 

The Michigan Department of Treasury will distribute funding allocated under the Act directly to eligible school support staff in an equal amount up to $250.00 per FTE school support staff employed by the district or assigned to regularly and continuously work under contract in a public school operated by the district.

Grant funding checks will be sent directly to the eligible classroom teachers and eligible support staff.  Checks will be mailed on or about February 25, 2021 to the address of residency provided by the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school.  Eligible recipients are encouraged to ensure the information on file with the district or nonprofit nonpublic school is accurate and up-to-date.

Teacher and Support Staff Grant Program Resources

District and Nonprofit Nonpublic School Resources

Certification

Key Dates

2020

  • October 23 - November 9: Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools must determine eligible Teacher COVID-19 Grant and Support Staff COVID-19 Grant recipients.  Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools should pull draft eligible lists and reporting template from the CEPI portal system.
  • November 9: Last day for school district to distribute Form 5734, the Teacher and Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Certification, to identified eligible Classroom Teachers and School Support Staff for execution.  Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools must also post notice on the school district website and at least 1 other means of widely used communication that eligible grant recipients have been identified and to provide an opportunity for written appeal of eligibility status to district.
  • December 4: Eligible Grant recipients must return Form 5734, the Teacher and Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Certification to district or nonprofit nonpublic school in the form and manner directed by the district or nonprofit school.  This is also the deadline to file an appeal to the district or nonprofit nonpublic school regarding eligibility.
  • December 4 - December 16: Districts must review Form 5734, the Teacher and Support Staff COVID-19 Grants Certification, and compile finalized eligibility lists for both grant programs retaining a copy of Form 5734 fully executed for each eligible recipient.
  • December 16: Deadline to upload and electronically submit the eligibility lists to the Department of Treasury utilizing the TSSC19 submission system.

2021

  • February 25: Treasury started issuing grant checks on February 25, 2021 to the address of residency provided on the eligibility lists by the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school.
  • April 9: Deadline for districts and nonprofit nonpublic school to submit eligibility list appeals are due to the Department of Treasury no later than April 9.
  • May 31: Checks for district and nonprofit nonpublic revised eligibility list appeals approved by Treasury will be issued to eligible teachers and school support staff around May 31, 2021 to the address of residency provided on the eligibility lists by the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school.

Contact

Teacher COVID-19 Grant and Support Staff COVID-19 Grant Programs

MI Classroom Heroes Grants Pages

Subscribe to the TSSC19Grants email list