School Closures and Declared Emergencies

This article was provided to MPAAA by the Office of State Aid and School Finance within MDE.

In response to recent weather events, MDE is issuing the following guidance to assist districts in identifying available approaches for meeting the day and hour requirements. State of Emergency declarations issued this year identified specific impacted counties and streamlined access to emergency resources. However, a declaration of a state of emergency does not, in and of itself, forgive lost instructional time, nor did the declarations provided school districts with additional flexibility with respect to instructional time.

In the absence of an executive order or subsequent legislation that explicitly provides relief related to instructional time, districts must address canceled instructional time by:

·        Utilizing available forgiven time provisions;

·        Making up lost instructional time; or

·        Counting qualifying professional development time in accordance with Section 101(10), if not already used or if the maximum allowable amount has not yet been reached; or

·        Forfeiting the equivalent amount of state aid tied to the lost instructional time.

If you have questions regarding these options, please contact the State Aid and School Finance unit at [email protected].

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Spring Testing and MSDS

The OEAA will update student information from the Spring MSDS General Collection mid to late April which is after the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) runs its closeout process.

Final updates for assessment and accountability reporting, which also includes student enrollment along with above listed student demographics, will have to be updated in the MSDS by the following dates:

• English learner students in grades K-12 taking the WIDA ACCESS and Alternate ACCESS – updated in MSDS by 5:00 pm, June 3, 2026 with an "as of" date on or before April 3, 2026
• Students in grades 3-12 taking the SAT, M-STEP, PSAT, WIN Work Readiness, and MI-Access –updated in MSDS by 5:00 pm, June 9, 2026 with an “as of date” on or before May 22, 2026.

School/district assessment coordinators are being asked to work with their authorized district MSDS user to ensure any student enrollment, exits, or demographics are included in the Spring MSDS General collection, or to ensure this information will be submitted in a student record maintenance (SRM) file by the posted deadlines with the correct “as of” dates. The OEAA will not use the end-of-year collection for student enrollment and demographic information, as the information collected at that time will be received too late.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact OEAA at 877-560-8378, select option 1 or email [email protected].

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Spring Conference Registration Open

The MPAAA Spring Conference is May 4-6 at Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City.  Registration is now open, and you can register HERE.

Description & Overview

The Annual MPAAA Spring Conference Schedule has something to offer everyone working in Michigan's Public Education System! We have sessions designed for those new to the world of pupil accounting and data management as well as sessions for veteran staff. Once again, we have invited student information system vendors as well as a few specialty vendors to be there on Monday. This quote from a previous conference attendee says it all, "As always, the conference was very well planned and the speakers very well prepared". We look forward to seeing you at this year's conference!

The educational system in Michigan is changing at an astounding pace. In the past several years, we have seen changes throughout our systems. As the educational and regulatory landscape continues to change, the Pupil Accounting community needs to stay current to ensure our schools receive all the funding they are entitled to.

 MPAAA seeks to continue its effort to be your primary 'go-to' resource regarding school funding and the legislation pertaining to school operations and funding. Our conferences are designed to assist anyone working with student data, school funding, enrollment and membership requirements, and auditing. The one thing we can assure you, this conference is not to be missed!

Our "Quick Hits" sessions are back for this conference! These 45-minute sessions cover topics not always able to be covered in a full 90-minute session, and each one will be repeated. You will be able to select two (2) sessions to attend instead of just one (1) for 90 minutes of credit. Hopefully, this will allow you to attend more of the sessions you need and make the conference even more productive.

Our Euchre/Cornhole game night is also back on Tuesday evening, by popular request! Come join the fun!

In addition, for those who wish to participate there is an opportunity to take a historic Asylum Tour in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, the former Traverse City State Hospital. For more information on this event, please check out the article below.

Speakers

Various speakers from around the state (including CEPI, MDE, MiLEAP, etc.) and local school districts will be in attendance. Scheduled speakers can be found on the agenda posted on this screen.

Hotel Information:

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT & SPA - 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Acme, MI  49610 - Ph: 231.534.6001

Rooms available here at the rate of:  $164 per night (Hotel Guestroom); $195.00 per night (Tower Guestroom) Plus 6% sales tax, 5% occupancy assessment, and a $18.95 per night resort fee. Groups exempt from State Sales Tax must provide written proof. Please check with the GTR regarding their cancellation policy.

Condominiums may be available at the rate of $205 per night (1-bedroom); $298 per night (2-bedroom); $359 per night (3-bedroom).

Reservations may be made by calling: 231.534.6000 and mentioning the MPAAA group code (MPA2026) to receive the discounted conference rate.  

OR using this booking link: GTR MPAAA 0526

This will be available on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 8 am. Cutoff date for the block of rooms is April 12, 2026.

Check-In is 4 pm; Check-Out is 11 am.

CHERRY TREE INN & SUITES – 2345 US 31 North, Traverse City, MI  49686 – Ph: 231.938.8888

Rooms available here at the rate of $175 per night, plus 6% sales tax, 5% occupancy assessment, and a $15 per night resort fee.

Please check with the Inn when making a reservation for their tax-exempt policy.

Reservations may be made by calling: 231.938.8888 and mentioning the arrival date of May 3 and MPAAA to receive the discounted conference rate.  Please check with Cherry Tree on their cancellation policy. A credit card guarantee is required at time of reservation. Cutoff date for this block of rooms is Wednesday, March 19, 2026.  Check-In is 4 pm; Check-Out is 11 am.

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES – 3536 Mt. Hope Road, Williamsburg, MI  49690 – Ph: 231.938.2600

Rooms available here at the rate of $141.25 per night, plus 6% sales tax and 5% occupancy assessment. Groups exempt from State Sales Tax must provide written proof a minimum of 30 days prior to arrival.

 Reservations may be made by calling: 231.938.2600 and mentioning the MPAAA code to receive the discounted conference rate.   OR you may use this link - HOLIDAY INN TRAVERSE 2026

Check-In is 4 pm; Check-Out is 11 am. Cutoff date for this block of rooms is Sunday, April 5, 2026.

 Cancellation of an individual guestroom is before 6pm on the day prior to arrival.

General Information

The conference includes Breakfast and Lunch on Monday and Tuesday and Breakfast only on Wednesday. Session and other presenter materials will be posted on the MPAAA website in advance of the conference and an attendee email will be sent to notify you when the information is posted. Attendees are welcome to print the materials ahead of time for the sessions which you plan to attend. Please use the link below or see the MPAAA website to submit questions to session presenters in advance. Submitting questions in advance will help our presenters research your specific questions before the conference.  

The conference costs $520 for MPAAA members and $625 for non-members. If you cannot register online with a credit card, there is a paper registration form that you can complete and return with a check.

 On-site walk-ins incur an additional $25 fee to attend.

Submit a Session Question

Click HERE to submit a question to a conference presenter ahead of the conference.

Outstanding Service Award

Click HERE to submit an application for a deserving colleague to receive an Outstanding Service Award.  This form must be submitted to the MPAAA office on or before April 3rd. The awards will be presented at the Spring Conference.

 Cancellation Policy & Contact Information

Members and guests will be assessed a cancellation fee of $100 for event registrations cancelled up to four weeks prior to the event start date. There will be no refunds for cancellations occurring after Monday, April 6th.

Please contact our Executive Director, Rob Dickinson ([email protected]), or our Executive Assistant, Jody Lukins ([email protected]), to request cancellation of a workshop or conference for which you are registered, or for any other event / MPAAA-related question.

*NO REFUNDS* will be granted if cancellation is after the Monday, April 6th, cutoff date.

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Asylum Tours for Spring Conference Attendees

MPAAA is pleased to announce that there will be exclusive tours of the Traverse City State Hospital on either Monday or Tuesday night during the Spring conference.

These 90-minute tours will explore the grounds, buildings, and even the underground structures of the old complex, as well as its renovated parts. This link allows you to register ($35 per person) for a tour at 5:30, 6:30, or 7:30 on Monday (May 4th) or Tuesday (May 5th) evening. Note that we WILL be holding our normal Euchre/Cornhole/Games night on Tuesday evening (7-10 PM), so plan accordingly if you wish to do both.

Note that we will not provide transportation to the complex, and you will need to get there and back on your own.

For more information on the tours, please click HERE.

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MPAAA Logo Store reopened

The MPAAA Association Board of Directors is excited to offer additional logo merchandise to our members this spring. We've carefully selected a variety of clothing, drinkware, and other items. In collaboration with a local business, The Great Put On, we've launched a dedicated swag store for you to browse and shop: The link for the store is HERE.

Once the store is open it will remain available through Tuesday, April 14th. After this date, the store will close.  All ordered items by this date will be produced and shipped directly to the customers (there will be some shipping costs as well). We hope you find something you love in the store, and can't wait to see you at the spring conference sporting your newly purchased MPAAA gear!

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Recorded Winter Certification courses now available

In January and February, MPAAA held a series of Bootcamps and Certification courses as virtual sessions.  Recordings of each of the 13 sessions are now available to watch and earn MSBO credit.

The available courses (and the certification tracks they apply to) are listed below:

You can register to take any of these courses HERE.  Once you register, you will be emailed the link to the video, along with any supporting documentation.  You will also receive a link for the credit form you will need to complete and return to receive credit with MSBO.  The courses will be available to watch until the end of April.

MPAAA works hard to make these courses available to its members.  We hope you find them to be useful. 

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Data Quality Corner

MPAAA Data Quality Corner

Each month, the members of the MPAAA LEA/Data Committee have agreed to share a brief article on data quality with our members.

This month’s article focuses on how districts can use Michigan DataHub tools to support student data validation and state reporting readiness.

Using Michigan DataHub Tools to Support State Reporting

Preparing data for MSDS student collections often becomes stressful when validation only happens at the time of submission. When errors are discovered late in the process, districts must scramble to identify the root cause, coordinate corrections across buildings/departments, and re-submit files before certification deadlines.

One way districts are reducing these last-minute issues is by incorporating Michigan DataHub Student State Reporting tools into their regular data review process.

These tools allow districts to review student data against the same validation logic used for state reporting before submitting files. Because Michigan DatHub receives data daily from district systems, reporting staff can review potential errors, warnings, and inconsistencies throughout the collection window rather than waiting until upload time.

Why Early Validation Matters

Running validation checks earlier in the process can help districts:

• Identify data inconsistencies between systems sooner

• Give departments time to correct issues at the source

• Reduce repeated file uploads and corrections

• Improve confidence before MSDS submission and certification

Data validation becomes an ongoing process that supports better data quality across the entire school year.

A Tool to Support Your Process

Michigan DataHub’s Student State Reporting features provide reports, validations, and error checks aligned with MSDS requirements. While these tools don’t replace local validation processes, they can complement district workflows by offering another way to review data before files are submitted.

If you are interested in learning more, you can watch this short 30-minute walkthrough of the Michigan DataHub Student State Reporting features:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19tvVWpfCeAzQolT2QDGXkQxqdgh-MbOG/view?usp=drive_link

This video demonstrates how districts can use these tools as part of their reporting preparation process. Additionally, you can access the accompanying slide deck here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19tvVWpfCeAzQolT2QDGXkQxqdgh-MbOG/view?usp=drive_link

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Documents Wanted for Data Quality Resource Library

In 2025, the MPAAA created a library of legacy Pupil Accounting and Auditing Manuals for our members.

For 2026, the LEA/Data Committee has proposed creating a Data Quality Resource Library.  This library would include sample documents, checklists, and tools focused on Data Quality and data Governance.  Below are examples of materials the committee is seeking.

Data Quality Documents:

• The checklist you use to go over audit packets when they come back from the schools.
• The list you keep of checks on the system to make sure all fields are completed and correct (how do you find the student that has their middle name in their home's street address because someone was typing ahead as they processed enrollment information)
• What process do you use to identify students in the 2nd and 3rd weeks of school who haven't attended this school year, and how do you determine who to keep and who to drop?
• The spreadsheet you devised to roll student data into to proof before the Count Day.
• The ISD-wide list of attendance codes that makes them easier for auditors to understand.

Data Governance Resources (this gets more into policies and processes to reinforce data quality):

• The process document that helps all of your District's departments coordinate roll-over.
• Any training documents you have for new staff on data input and catching/correcting mistakes.
• Agreements you may have with the ISD or other local partners to share data resources or equipment in the event of a disaster.

We recognize that many of these documents are district-specific, and no one is expected to use them exactly as provided.  The goal is to offer starter resources and reference examples that members can adapt to their local needs or use as inspiration to strengthen data governance practices.

If you have any documents, checklists, or spreadsheets that you are willing to share with this library, please send them to [email protected].  If you can use 'DQ Library' as the subject, it will help me set them aside.

 Our goal is to establish this library within the next couple of months and continue expanding it through the spring, making it a valuable resource for members—particularly those starting new positions over the summer.   

Thank you to the LEA/Data Committee and its chairs, Janell Craig, Luke Kaiser, and Linda Dehooghe, for their interest in this concept.

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Future Conference Dates

We get frequent calls and emails at the MPAAA office asking about future conference dates.  We're posting all known dates here and will include this article in each future Newsblast issue, and add new dates as we make those arrangements.

25/26

27/28

28/29

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