Teacher & Support Staff COVID-19 Grant

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.

Eligible teachers and support staff may receive money to offset additional or hazardous work and/or expenses during the spring COVID closure. Eligible teachers may receive up to $500 and eligible support staff may receive up to $250 (from the hyperlink, teacher eligibility is discussed starting on page 9; support staff on page 16). 

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.

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.

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 Eligibility Requirements
(a) Prior to the issuance of Executive Order 2020-35 on April 2, 2020, the teacher performed at least 75% of his or her standard instructional workload in a brick and mortar classroom at a district or nonprofit nonpublic school.
(b) After issuance of Executive Order 2020-35 on April 2, 2020, the teacher developed tools and methods to deliver distance learning, take-home packets, or other methods described in the district or nonprofit nonpublic school's continuity of learning plan.
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(c) The teacher certifies to the district, in a manner prescribed by the Michigan Department of Treasury, 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 their school's continuity of learning plan.

Support Staff Eligibility Requirements
In order to qualify as an eligible “support staff” for the Support Staff COVID-19 Grant, Public Act 166 of 2020 requires that the grant recipient be a K-12 school support staff in the 2019- 2020 school year prior to the issuance of Executive Order 2020-35 on April 2, 2020 and meets the support staff statutory requirements to receive grant funding. For a list of 14 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://www.michigan.gov/documents/cepi/REP_Data_Field_Descriptions_Fall_2020_6895 54_7.pdf.  

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: Checks are estimated to be mailed on or about February 25, 2021 to the address of residency provided on the eligibility lists by the school district or nonprofit nonpublic school.



If you believe you are eligible, complete the attached form 5734 TSSC19 and return it to Dianna Slusarzyk by Monday, November 30 so that you have time to appeal any decision. 

If you have questions, please contact Dianna Slusarzyk. 

Thank you,
Kristy