Get Kids Ahead Initiative

District Administrators,

The following message was previously sent to each school district, independent charter school, and tribal school’s designated Get Kids Ahead (GKA) Initiative contact. Some of you may have already received this message if you are the designated contact, but given the important information being shared, we are utilizing multiple avenues of communication.

Wisconsin school districts, independent charter schools, and tribal schools (“Grantee Schools”) who elected to receive GKA funds to build and sustain school mental health programming received their first allocation of funding in spring 2022 and their second allocation of funding in spring 2023. Both rounds of GKA funding must be spent by December 31, 2024.

• Each Grantee School must file a report with DPI by July 31, 2024, stating the amount of their allocation that was unspent as of June 30, 2024, and setting forth a plan for how they intend to spend any remaining funds before December 31, 2024. Each Grantee School must return, on or before August 31, 2024, those funds they do not intend to spend. As this date approaches, a survey will be sent to Grantee Schools to complete this reporting requirement as well as the annual reporting requirement of how funds were spent.

• Grantee Schools which reported unspent funds by July 31, 2024 will be required to file a second report on or before October 31, 2024, stating the amount of their allocation that was unspent as of September 30, 2024, and setting forth a plan for how they intend to spend any remaining funds before December 31, 2024. DPI shall require each Grantee School to return, on or before November 30, 2024, those funds they do not intend to spend. DPI shall require each remaining Grantee School to return all unspent funds on or before January 31, 2025.

Please see DPI’s Get Kids Ahead webpage as well as our Comprehensive School Mental Health webpage for additional information and resources about GKA funding and building and sustaining comprehensive school mental health systems.

Please reach out to School Mental Health Consultants Libby Strunz at (608) 266-3361 or Lisa Stein at (608) 266-3374 or email getmhs@dpi.wi.gov with any questions or to schedule a time for consultation. In addition, GKA weekly office hours are held on Tuesdays from 8:00-8:45 a.m. and can be joined using this meeting link.

Thank you for all you do to support student mental health in your district!