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Chelsea board debates whether to opt in to State School Aid Act Section 31aa funding
Summary
Superintendent Kapolka briefed trustees on Section 31aa funding for student mental health and school safety; the board discussed new state investigative requirements, broad waivers of certain legal protections, a Nov. 30 opt-in deadline, and an estimated $320,000 if accepted.
Superintendent Kapolka provided an overview of State School Aid Act Section 31aa, a funding stream created in the 2022-23 Michigan School Aid Budget to support student mental health and school safety. He told trustees the program's original intent provided local flexibility, but the most recent state budget includes added provisions that would require districts accepting 31aa funds to comply with state-directed investigative requirements and to broadly waive certain legal protections.
Kapolka said the district's opt-in decision date is Nov. 30, 2025 and estimated that acceptance would mean roughly $320,000 for Chelsea. Board members discussed advantages and disadvantages and sought clarity on the scope of the investigative requirements and the legal waivers; no final vote was taken at the Nov. 3 meeting. The transcript records Superintendent Kapolka's overview but does not provide a final determination or legal text of the waivers; trustees indicated concerns and asked for more detail before deciding.
