Grant-funded

About MiCloud

A Michigan ISD initiative providing grant-funded cloud services to every public school district in the state — because modern infrastructure shouldn't depend on your district's budget.

Our Mission

To centralize cloud hosting and platform management services to provide a unified, scalable, and secure solution for ALL Michigan ISDs/ESAs and school districts — ensuring equitable access to modern technology regardless of district size or budget.

What Makes Us Different

MiCloud isn't a vendor selling services — we're a publicly-funded program run through a Michigan ISD. Our sole purpose is supporting Michigan's K-12 schools with cloud infrastructure they couldn't otherwise afford or manage on their own.

We understand the K-12 environment because we work in it. Our team operates within Kalamazoo RESA, and our Advisory Committee includes representatives from a district in every MAISA region in the state.

How It's Funded

MiCloud is made possible through the Michigan Department of Education Section 12c Consolidation Grant — a $31.6 million investment in Michigan's K-12 technology infrastructure.

This means districts receive enterprise-grade cloud services at no cost to the district — no contracts, no invoices, no charge. The grant funding runs through the 2027-28 school year.

Our Story

From a single ISD's innovation to a statewide initiative serving all Michigan schools.

2017

KRESA Begins Cloud Journey

Kalamazoo RESA partners with AWS to migrate aging datacenter infrastructure to the cloud, becoming one of the first ISDs in the nation to fully embrace cloud hosting.

2019

Partnerships Expand

Strategic partnerships with Ingram Micro and Veeam added. KRESA begins supporting Ottawa Area ISD, Kalamazoo Public Library, Michigan DataHub, and statewide MAISA/MiCH applications.

2022

AWS Education Champions(opens in new tab)

Michael Coats (now MiCloud's Executive Director) selected for the inaugural AWS Education Champions(opens in new tab) cohort, recognizing KRESA's innovative work in K-12 cloud infrastructure.

2024

MAISA Feasibility Study(opens in new tab)

A comprehensive feasibility study(opens in new tab) evaluates the feasibility of centralizing cloud hosting services for all 56 ISDs and 800+ school districts. The findings are clear: consolidation saves money, improves security, and increases equity.

2025

$31.6M MDE Grant & Statewide Launch

The Michigan Department of Education awards the $31.6 million Section 12c Consolidation Grant, funding MiCloud to serve every qualifying public school entity in Michigan through the 2027-28 school year.

Now

Growing Across Michigan

MiCloud is actively onboarding districts, delivering training across all MAISA regions, and building the cloud infrastructure that Michigan's schools deserve. In its first full year in operation, MiCloud has already completed projects supporting over 300 schools that serve over 565,000 students statewide - over 40% of Michigan students in Year 1!

Grant & Governance

Transparent, accountable, and focused on Michigan's schools.

$31.6 Million
MDE Section 12c Consolidation Grant
Funding period through the 2027-28 school year

How MiCloud is Governed

  • Funded through MDE Section 12c Consolidation Grant ($31.6M)
  • Operated by Kalamazoo RESA as fiscal agent
  • Guided by statewide Advisory Committee with regional representation
  • Quarterly reporting to Michigan Department of Education
  • Services prioritized based on district need and equitable access
  • AWS Select Tier partnership provides enhanced support resources
  • Grant funding runs through the 2027-28 school year

Advisory Committee

Consisting of representatives from each of the 10 MAISA regions(opens in new tab) and stakeholders from associated statewide initiatives, the MiCloud Advisory Committee serves as a strategic and consultative body to guide the organization’s mission of providing cloud-based services to Michigan’s K-12 schools. The committee ensures diverse stakeholder representation, offers expert advice, and fosters alignment with statewide educational technology needs.

The Advisory Committee’s primary functions include:

1. Strategic Guidance

Provide insights and recommendations on MiCloud’s goals, priorities, and long-term strategies.

Offer input on policies and practices to ensure effectiveness and alignment with stakeholder needs.

2. Stakeholder Representation

Act as a conduit between MiCloud and the K-12 educational community.

Represent the perspectives and needs of ISDs and the local districts within their service areas.

3. Expertise and Perspective

Contribute specialized knowledge to address technical, operational, and educational challenges.

Highlight emerging trends and opportunities to keep MiCloud innovative and forward-thinking.

4. Collaboration and Advocacy

Identify potential partnerships and synergies with other statewide initiatives.

Promote awareness and support for MiCloud among key stakeholders and decision-makers.

Commitment to Equity and Impact

The Advisory Committee prioritizes equitable representation of all Michigan regions and ensure that MiCloud’s services are accessible and beneficial to schools of all sizes and demographics. This governance framework ensures the MiCloud Advisory Committee is a dynamic and collaborative force that helps drive the organization’s success in delivering meaningful cloud-based solutions to Michigan’s K-12 schools.

The Team

Michigan educators and engineers dedicated to supporting K-12 technology across the state.

Michael Coats

Executive Director

Kim Rowbotham

Technical Program Manager

Mike Ciokiewicz

Cloud Architect

Bill Handlang

Cloud Engineer

Nikki Szymanski

Director's Executive Assistant
The MiCloud team gathered together at Kalamazoo RESA

Rob Lane

Cloud Engineer

(On loan from Wayne RESA)

Ben Courtade

Systems Administrator

Ben Bruursema

Systems Administrator

Luke Novak

Cloud Engineer

(On loan from Ottawa Area ISD)

Team Certifications

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification badge AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate certification badge AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification badge Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals certification badge Veeam Certified Engineer 2025 certification badge