Macomb schools weigh state funding that comes with strings

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Macomb County school districts must decide by Thursday if they plan to accept safety and mental health funding from the state in return for agreeing to new requirements.

When the Michigan state budget was passed in October, $321 million was set aside in grants for initiatives, but districts that opt in for the funding must “waive any privilege that may otherwise protect information from disclosure in the event of a mass casualty event.”

The provision defines a mass casualty event as one causing significant injuries to three or more people with fatalities. There is no end date written into the agreement.

The $321 million in Section 31aa funding can be used to hire mental health professionals, school resource officers and purchase security equ