122 Schools Recognized as HEARTSafe
May 15, 2015
The Michigan departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and Education (MDE); American Heart Association (AHA); Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA); and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (MAP-SCDY) have awarded 122 schools in Michigan with the MI HEARTSafe School designation which recognizes schools that are prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.
“Sudden cardiac death claims the lives of more than 300 Michigan children and young adults between the ages of one and 39 years of age each year,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive of MDHHS. “Implementation of CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) within 3-5 minutes is crucial for increasing the chance of survival. Cardiac arrest is often unexpected and frightening, and I’m pleased to see so many of our schools taking preventative measures to address this health issue.”
Between 1999 and 2009 in Michigan, there were 3,134 young individuals between 1 and 39 years of age who died of sudden cardiac death. Of those, 246 were between 5 and 19 years of age. In its second year, the MI HEARTSafe Schools designation is Michigan’s commitment to reducing the number of sudden cardiac death in our youth. Last year was the first year of the program, and 40 schools were designated in Michigan.
“MDE is proud to support MI HEARTSafe schools,” said State Superintendent Mike Flanagan. “Ensuring schools are prepared for sudden cardiac emergencies through planning, training, and AEDs is an important part of having safer learning environments for students, staff, and the community.”
Public Act 12 of 2014 requires all schools (grades kindergarten to 12) to have a cardiac emergency response plan in place. This designation recognizes 122 schools that have taken steps above and beyond to prepare to respond in the event of a cardiac emergency, and is awarded for a period of three years. Click for the list of designated schools.
“The Michigan High School Athletic Association is proud to partner with the state of Michigan to promote the MI HEARTSafe Schools program,” said Jack Roberts, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. “It’s important we all do our part to help schools prepare for unexpected emergencies to keep children in our communities safe.”
In order for a school to receive a MI HEARTSafe designation, it must perform at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year, have a written medical emergency response plan and team, have current CPR/AED certification of at least 10 percent of staff, have accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs with signs identifying their location and ensure pre-participation sports screening of all student athletes using the current physical and history form endorsed by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Schools that meet all of the requirements will be able to apply for the MI HEARTSafe School designation each year. Click for more information about the MI HEARTSafe Schools program.
MHSAA Survey Reveals Participation Fee Usage Remains at Lower Post-Pandemic Level
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 6, 2025
The annual Michigan High School Athletic Association participation fee survey saw record response for the 2024-25 school year and revealed good news as the percentage of member high schools charging student-athletes to play sports remained consistent with lowered post-pandemic levels.
Of the 720 schools (95 percent of membership) which responded to the most recent survey, only 40 percent of MHSAA member high schools (286) charged participation fees in 2024-25 – consistent with the rates between 40-41 percent revealed annually by the survey the previous four school years after the COVID-19 pandemic struck during the late winter and spring of 2020. Prior to the pandemic, a high of 57 percent of member schools charged participation fees in 2013-14, and 48 percent of high schools required pay-to-play in 2019-20.
The MHSAA began conducting the participation fee survey with the 2003-04 school year. For the purposes of the survey, a participation fee is anything $20 or more regardless of what the school called the charge – registration fee, athletic fee, etc.
Class A schools, as has been the trend, made up the largest group charging fees in 2024-25, with 53 percent of respondents doing so. Class B schools followed, with 40 percent charging fees, while 34 percent of Class C schools and 32 percent of Class D schools also charged for participation.
A standardized fee for each team on which a student-athlete participates – regardless of the number of teams – has remained the norm over the history of the MHSAA’s survey, and 43 percent of schools charging a fee during 2024-25 did so in this way. That was followed by 34 percent of responding schools charging a one-time standardized fee and 17 percent assessing fees based on tiers of the number of sports a student-athlete plays (for example, charging a larger fee for the first team and less for additional sports).
For 2024-25, the median maximum amount a school charged per student-athlete for the school year was $150, and the median annual maximum charged per family was $370. For schools charging student-athletes a one-time fee to cover all sports played, the median was $125. For schools charging a fee per sport, the median was $100 for each team.
The survey for 2024-25 and surveys from previous years can be found on the Pay-To-Play Survey page.