Dexter Community Schools Accepts 31aa Funding

A technical error has led Dexter Community Schools (DCS) to reconsider 31aa funding from the State of Michigan.

The DCS Board of Education voted to approve at its May 19 meeting a resolution to accept the funding that is a state allocation for school safety and mental health. This decision comes after many school districts raised issues with this funding. Stipulations tied to it led to some districts opting out.

One of the issues is that districts that opt in would be required to waive important legal protections, including attorney client privilege, and could be compelled to disclose internal communications during or after a serious incident investigation. Agreeing to a waiver of legal privileges—such as attorney-client privilege and Fifth Amendment rights—in the event of a mass-casualty investigation has caused controversy with the funding.

A background report on the funding was given in the DCS school board’s meeting packet.

It said, “31aa is State of Michigan grant funding for student safety and mental health. On December 3, 2025 and April 13th, the Board discussed concerns about new stipulations for districts that accept the funding. In December, DCS had opted out of receiving these funds. Due to a technical error with the State’s GEMS submission software, however, DCS remained opted in, in spite of screenshots indicating the district had successfully opted out by the deadline. District attorneys have been unsuccessful in persuading the State to opt out the District as intended. Because many districts opted out, the DCS original projected allocation of $360,000 has increased to a total of $1,234,445.27.”

DCS Superintendent Ryan Bruder told the Sun Times News, “These funds allow us to continue building on the work already underway: adding more mental health professionals, expanding early intervention supports, and continuing to improve safety infrastructure across our schools.”

“We made this decision thoughtfully, especially given the changes to 31aa and the additional state requirements that many districts, including ours, have concerns about,” Bruder said. “While those concerns are real, our focus remains on making sure students and staff continue receiving the support they count on every day.”

Bruder said, “As we move forward, we’ll continue advocating for clearer definitions, stronger protections for schools, and a greater emphasis on prevention and local decision-making. This isn’t simply about compliance; it’s about clarity, prevention, and making sure schools can support students while maintaining community trust and legal integrity.”