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District » COVID-19 Grant Program

COVID-19 Grant Program

The Michigan Department of Treasury recently released details regarding the process for teachers and school support staff to access the one-time hazard pay for teachers and support staff included in Public Act 166 of 2020. Public Act 166 of 2020 calls for a one-time up to  $500.00 hazard pay to be paid out to eligible teaching staff and a one-time up to $250.00 hazard pay to be paid out to eligible school support staff to recognize the additional time spent outside of normal working hours and additional costs teachers have incurred as a result of the school closure in the spring of 2020.

 

Teachers will need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  1. Prior to the issuance of executive order 2020-35, the teacher performed at least 75% of their standard instructional workload in a brick and mortar classroom at the District.
  2. After issuance of executive order 2020-35, the teacher developed tools and methods to deliver distance learning, take-home packets, or other methods described in the District's continuity of learning plan.
  3. The teacher certifies to the District, via the Form 5734, that he or she worked additional time spent outside of normal working hours, experienced hazardous conditions, or incurred additional costs related to ensuring students could effectively participate in the District's continuity of learning plan. This form will be reviewed by the district for eligibility.
    If the teacher was employed in a part-time capacity, the hazard pay will be prorated to meet their portion fulfilled.

School support staff will need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  1. Prior to the issuance of executive order No. 2020-35, the school support staff (a K-12 full-time or part-time para-professional, aide, or non-instructional staff) performed at least 75% of their workload in a brick and mortar school building at a district.
  2. Meets the school support staff statutory requirements to receive grant funding. For a list of school support staff positions please refer to the paraprofessional/aide assignments beginning at p. 41 and non-instructional assignment codes beginning at page 43 of the Registry of Educational Personnel Data Field Descriptions Manual, which is available at the following webpage: https://bit.ly/35Ka3Bk. The State of Michigan has also compiled a Support Staff Eligibility FAQ which can be found at https://bit.ly/35X08bK. 
  3. The school support staff certifies to the District, via the Form 5734, that he or she worked additional time spent outside of normal working hours, experienced hazardous conditions, or incurred additional costs related to providing student services during the COVID19 pandemic. This form will be reviewed by the district for eligibility.
    If the support staff was employed in a part-time capacity, the hazard pay will be prorated to meet their portion fulfilled.

Timeline:

  • November 9, 2020 - Form 5734 is available to eligible staff via this website.
  • December 4, 2020 - Completed Form 5734 is due back to the Business Office via email at [email protected], interoffice mail, or USPS to:

    Hartford Public Schools
    Attn: Rebecca Drake
    115 School Street
    Hartford, MI 49057
    Form must be received by December 4, 2020. Incomplete forms will not be processed.
  • February 25, 2021 - The Michigan Department of Treasury estimates mailing checks on or about February 25, 2021 to the address of residency provided via the Form 5734.

Upon reviewing each submitted Form 5734, if the district determines that you do not meet the eligibility requirements released by the Michigan Department of Treasury you will be notified via email. If you feel this was done so in error, you may submit your written appeal to this decision to [email protected]. This written appeal must be received by December 4, 2020.

 

Please contact Rebecca Drake at 269.621.7002 with any questions.

GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program Description

On December 29, 2020, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Public Act 257 of 2020, providing $2.5 million to GSRP, Head Start, special education for individuals aged 18-26 and adult education teachers who teach in a school district or nonprofit nonpublic school. 

Pursuant to Public Act 257 of 2020, legislation was passed that appropriated funding for the GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program. This program provides grants to eligible GSRP, head start, adult education, young adult special education 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.

Key Terms

  • Classroom Teacher
    • Defined as a full-time or part-time GSRP, Head Start, adult education and young adult (ages 18-26) special education teachers who provided continuity of learning to students during the 2019-2020 period of school closure that resulted from COVID-19.
  • 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

Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools must identify eligible teachers for the GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program including determining the FTE calculation for the eligible grant recipients by March 19, 2021.

Eligible grant recipients must return the GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program Teacher Certification Form 5741 to the district or nonprofit nonpublic school in the form and manner the district requires no later than April 9, 2021. 

School districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools are then required to compile the list of eligible classroom teachers and electronically submit the list as early as April 9, 2021 but no later than April 19, 2021 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 GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education classroom teachers in an equal amount up to $500.00 per FTE 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. 

Grant funding checks will be sent directly to the eligible GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education classroom teachers.  Checks will be mailed on or about June 4, 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.

Additional Grant Guidance

District and Nonprofit Nonpublic School Resources

Certification

Key Dates

2021

  • February 23: Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools may obtain the "Grant Submission Template."
  • March 19 - Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools to distribute Teacher Certification Form 5741 for the GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program, to identified eligible classroom teachers for execution.  Districts must provide Teacher Certification Form 5741 to eligible teachers no later than March 19, 2021. Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools must also post notice on the school district website and at least 1 other means of widely used communication no later than March 19, 2021 that eligible grant recipients have been identified and to provide an opportunity for written appeal of eligibility status to district.
  • April 9: Eligible Grant recipients must return Teacher Certification Form 5741 for the GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program 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.  Districts must review Teacher Certification Form 5741 for the GSRP, Head Start, Adult Education, and Young Adult Special Education Teachers COVID-19 Grant Program and compile finalized eligibility lists for both grant programs retaining a copy of Teacher Certification Form 5741 fully executed for each eligible recipient. Districts and nonprofit nonpublic schools are eligible to submit their eligibility list as early as April 9 or no later than April 19. 
  • June 4: Checks are estimated to be mailed on or about June 4, 2021 to the address of residency provided on the eligibility lists by the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school.

 

 

Please Contact Rebecca Drake at 269.621.7002 with any questions