Student Mental Health and Retention Training (SMART) Program
The Michigan Association of School Psychologists is pleased to share an update on the Student Mental Health and Retention Training (SMART) program application and two handouts with information regarding SMART, as well as the SMART application. The handouts on SMART are linked at the bottom of this page.
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will soon be announcing the availability of funds for the Student Mental Health and Retention Training (SMART) Program through Section 31ff of the State School Aid Act. SMART is a state funded “Grow Your Own” program for first and second year school psychology, school social work, and school counseling graduate students who are working in eligible school districts and ISDs in Michigan.
In state and out of state school psychology, school counseling, and school social work students who are working for eligible school districts and intermediate school districts (ISDs) in Michigan are able to receive stipends through the 31ff funded SMART program. Students may be enrolled at a university in Michigan or an out of state college, but they must be working at an eligible ISD or school district in Michigan.
The application for Section 31ff funds is now open in NexSys and can be found under “My Opportunities” on the NexSys Dashboard. The application will close at 11:45 p.m. on September 30, 2024, or sooner if all funds have been exhausted. The application is only available to Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), and Institutions of Higher Education (IHE), NOT individual students.
The requirements for SMART are included in this link. To be eligible for a stipend through this program, students must meet at least one of these criteria:
The individual is interning in a public school in which not less than 50% of pupils enrolled are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 USC 1751 to 1769j.
The individual is interning in a public school that received funding under section 22d of the State School Aid Act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1622d, in the immediately preceding school fiscal year.
Note: LEAs, ISDs, & IHE that do not qualify for SMART funding through 31ff are still able to utilize district/ISD funding or 31aa funds to pay stipends for practicum experiences if they have indicated on the 31aa application that they would like to utilize this money for that purpose.
In addition to these criteria, students who receive stipends from 31ff funding through SMART are required to work in a Michigan public school for not less than three school years. There is no requirement for students to work for three years in Michigan if they are being paid from a different source such as 31aa or district funds. If you have any questions regarding SMART 31ff, please contact Scott Hutchins at the Michigan Department of Education, at HutchinsS1@michigan.gov.
