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Madison Elementary School in Adrian will benefit from more than $300,000 in grant funds to implement a balanced calendar for preschool through fifth grades.
(Courtesy photo)
LANSING -- One of the schools set to receive a share of a $2 million grant to implement a balanced school calendar has returned the money, the Michigan Department of Education said Friday, but two additional districts are receiving funds.
Watersmeet Township School District returned the $709,000 it was awarded, MDE spokesman Bill DiSessa said, because of a lack of community support for the plan.
The department is instead giving $333,765 in grants to Madison School District in Lenawee County and $375,235 to Port Huron Area School District.
The other schools receiving money are GEE Edmonson Academy, a charter school in Detroit, getting $395,000, while the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System is the largest beneficiary at $750,000. Ypsilanti Community Schools will get $146,000, far below their $507,500 request.
Bay County Public School Academy, Central Collegiate Academy, Niles Community Schools and Pontiac Public Schools had their requests denied.
A pair of schools also got money through another program to try out the balanced calendar as well.
Madison District Public Schools in Oakland County and Baldwin Community Schools each received $750,000 through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to aid in their transition to the new calendar.
Some balanced calendar schools have already started classes or are about to start for the year, while schools on the conventional calendar will start next month.
Brian Smith is the statewide education and courts reporter for MLive. Email him at bsmith11@milve.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.