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Edwardsburg board unanimously adopts conditional opt‑in to preserve eligibility for Michigan 31AA school safety funds
Summary
The Edwardsburg Public Schools board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution authorizing a conditional opt‑in to Michigan's Public Act 15 (31AA) funding to preserve eligibility while reserving the district's right to challenge a contested privilege‑waiver requirement, with rescission options if courts or the legislature act.
The Edwardsburg Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a resolution authorizing the superintendent to submit a conditional opt‑in to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for 31AA funding under Public Act 15 of 2025.
The resolution, read aloud by board member Tammy Evans, directs the superintendent or designee to submit the district’s opt‑in form on or before the MDE opt‑in deadline “solely for the purpose of preserving the district’s eligibility for 31AA funding” while stating that submission “shall not constitute a present waiver of the attorney‑client privilege or any other privilege.” The opt‑in deadline cited in the reading is Dec. 4, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.; the resolution also notes an agreed rescission deadline of Dec. 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m., by which the district may rescind the opt‑in if the legislature or a court removes or invalidates the contested privilege‑waiver requirement.
Why it mattered: Public Act 15 of 2025 amends the State School Aid Act to allocate 31AA funds for school safety and student mental‑health initiatives and creates both an opt‑in route and a competitive grant process. The resolution frames the board’s action as protective of the district’s ability to receive future funding while preserving legal rights and awaiting court or legislative resolution on the requirement that districts waive certain privileges as a condition of receiving funds.
What the board resolved: The adopted resolution (as read) contains several numbered provisions, including that (1) submission of the opt‑in will be conditional and not a present waiver of privilege; (2) the conditional opt‑in will be automatically rescinded unless the legislature substantially amends or a court rules the privilege‑waiver requirement unlawful by the rescission deadline; (3) the superintendent will not accept 31AA funds if the privilege waiver remains enforceable as of the rescission deadline; and (4) the district retains the right to challenge the legality or enforceability of any MDE condition tied to MCL 388.16 (31AA).
How the vote went: The chair called a roll‑call vote. Recorded responses were: Nick — Yes; Madeline — Yes; Chair (name not specified in the transcript) — Yes; Justin — Yes; Tammy Evans — Yes. The chair announced, “Motion passes.”
What’s next: The resolution preserves the district’s eligibility through the opt‑in date and provides a path to rescind that opt‑in if the legal environment changes. The transcript records no additional board direction beyond adopting the conditional opt‑in and the stated rescission mechanism.
Authority cited: The reading explicitly references Public Act 15 of 2025 and the State School Aid Act section commonly referenced in the district reading as 31AA (MCL 388.16 as cited in the reading) and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) administrative process.
