With poll: Washtenaw County voters will be asked to renew special education millage in May

WISD interim superintendent Richard Leyshock said local districts would be forced to cut more money from their general fund budgets to support special education services if the millage isn't passed.

“Seven years ago, voters approved this millage. We’re seeking the renewal because the demand for special education continues,” he said. “And, without (an) adequate special education millage, local districts will be required to take increasing dollar amounts from their general operating funds to provide special education programs that are required by state and federal law.”

School districts get about 84 percent of their funding for special education from the WISD, which provides funding through the millage. The millage costs the owner of a home with a taxable value of $100,000 about $98.50 annually.

Leyshock said about 7,000 students in the county receive some kind of special education services.

Robert Allen, interim superintendent for Ann Arbor Public Schools, said the millage provides about $20 million per year to the district.

Robert Allen

“It’s very important — that millage funds somewhere around $20 million a year for special education costs,” he said. “Many services are required by law, so if the funding goes away, the costs are still there, so in that sense that millage effects all things in Ann Arbor schools.”

The WISD board submitted its request to put the proposal on the ballot to the Washtenaw County Board of Election Commissioners after its Dec. 14 meeting. Officials at the election office confirmed Thursday the millage will be on the ballot for May 3.

The vote on the special education millage will come about 18 months after county voters rejected a 2-mill tax increase for school enhancement in November 2009.

Ypsilanti Public Schools Superintendent Dedrick Martin said previously that a failure to pass the millage would have a “devastating” effect on the district’s budget.

Martin said funding from the millage would still decrease in the coming years due to falling property values. He said it’s expected that in the second year of the millage, the amount would decrease to 77 percent, 75 percent in the third year and then dip into the 60 percent range.

“This is critically important to our district,” he said at a meeting in October. “This would send us right back to making some very tough decisions on what we do to maintain high-quality education.”

Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com.