Michigan Earn, Learn, and Serve in Schools
About Mi-ELSiS
Michigan Earn, Learn, and Serve in Schools (Mi-ELSiS) is a groundbreaking initiative designed to address the shortage of mental health professionals in high-need school districts across Michigan. This innovative program benefits graduate-level trainees and seeks to create lasting positive change within these underserved communities. It results from a federal grant awarded by the US Department of Education to the Michigan Department of Education.
At the heart of Mi-ELSiS is a commitment to providing graduate-level trainees in the fields of School Social Work, School Psychology, and School Counseling with a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Participants in the program are offered a stipend, enabling them to pursue their educational goals while giving back to their communities. In exchange for this financial support, Mi-ELSiS trainees must dedicate a minimum of one year working in high-need schools after training is complete.
How to Apply
Contact your university coordinator to start the process and complete an application. If you have any questions, please contact us.
“Access to School Counselors is a benefit that cannot be overstated and will have a far-reaching impact for the children and adolescents of Michigan.”
- Dr. Ellen Armbruster,
School Counseling Program Coordinator, CMU
Benefits to Participants
The stipend can be spent on things like:
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Tuition
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Transportation to and from the high-need school where a graduate trainee is placed
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Child care while a graduate trainee is working at a high-need school
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Administrative expenses, such as background check fees, that are necessary for placement in a participating high-need school
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And much more!
The stipend is delivered throughout the participant's experience as they reach three specified milestones, enabling them to access some of the funds during training.
Expectations
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Participants will complete fieldwork/practicum/internship in a high-need school at the LEA you are assigned to for one year (while you are still in your graduate program).
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Graduate from your graduate program.
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Serve as a School Psychologist, School Social Worker, or School Counselor for one year at a high-need school in Michigan.
Participating Schools/Programs
We're thankful to have so many great partners. See the graphic to the right for a full list of partners, and click the links below to learn more about some of our academic partnerships and student experiences.
University of Michigan: Supporting Future School Social Workers for High-Need Communities
Institutes of Higher Education | Local Education Agencies |
|---|---|
Wayne State University - School Social Work | Wayne RESA |
University of Michigan - School Social Work | Kearsley Community Schools |
Michigan State University - School Psychology | Jackson County ISD |
Central Michigan University - School Counseling | Gratiot-Isabella RESD |
Mi-ELSiS News
