Ypsilanti schools could lose more than $3.2 million if special education renewal fails, officials say
Ypsilanti Public Schools could lose $3.2 million if the special education millage renewal on the ballot for May 3 fails, school board members were told Monday.
The millage supplies about $14 million to districts around the county and is a part of the total $66 million reimbursed to local schools from the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, said Jason Towler, YPS transition coordinator. The district has about 760 students who receive special education services.
“It’s a millage renewal and we’re using that language a lot,” Towler said. “What’s the issue with the millage is that it’s at .985 mills, which is lower than it was in the past and it helps maintain programs for all children in public schools.”
Towler and Ruth Jordan, director of student support services, made a presentation to the Ypsilanti Board of Education on the millage at its regular meeting Monday night.
Jordan called the millage renewal critical for the continuation of school services in Ypsilanti. She said Michigan is one of the few states that still mandates special education services be offered until age 26, which drives costs up.
“We’re operating our mandated programs and doing what the federal government requires us to do, which is whatever we say we need from year to year is what we have to guarantee will be provided,” Jordan said. “When we don’t have those funds, the federal government says you have to provide those services regardless.”
During the presentation, Towler mentioned several YPS alumni who received special education services in the district and are now leading lives without the help of taxpayer-supported government services.
He said the largest groups of students who receive special education services in Ypsilanti schools are students with learning disabilities and the second-largest group is students receiving services for speech or language-impairment issues.
Despite the declining number of students receiving special education services, Towler said the number of students with autism — which is associated with higher costs — is expected to rise. Only nine of the 62 autistic students in Ypsilanti schools are in self-contained programs, a fact known around the county, Towler said.
“People know Ypsilanti schools are more mainstream,” he said. “… I can see us getting more students from around the county who know about our autism programs.”
Trustees spoke in support of efforts to get the millage renewed, calling on all members of the community to get involved in the campaign.
Trustee Kira Berman asked why the millage was being renewed at a lower level. It was originally a 1-mill levy, but WISD leadership decided to only ask for the .985-mill renewal. Jordan and Superintendent Dedrick Martin said it was due to decreasing enrollment and lower property values.
Even if the millage passes, school districts will receive about $1 million less in funding, Martin said.
“I’m very supportive of the efforts regarding the millage and I understand that even if it passes we get a little less money than we have in the past,” Berman said.
Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Y-TownMom
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 10:54 p.m.
I wonder if YPSD spent $7,000 to advertise for this renewal. Seems like they had $7,000 to donate to two businesses in Ann Arbor.
Cash
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 10:35 a.m.
Also, this program does NOT need a separate superintendent (see article). Share a superintendent with a school in the county. This is duplication of administration and a ton of wasted money.
zip the cat
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 10:07 p.m.
When the schools can throw away a extra $65.000 dollars for a superintendent when every one else is cutting back They will never,ever get my vote. Go by any school at night and there lit up like a christmas tree with no one around. I am sure you could save a ton of my tax dollars if they turn off the lights. You waste tons of money and till it changes ,I'll vote NO
ypsilistener
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.
I have lots of questions after reading some of these comments. Just wondering why there are so many complaints about administrators? Who is supposed to manage these programs? Our teachers, who have so much spare time? As a previous commenter mentioned, there are an awful lot of rules and regulations to follow when administering these programs and funds, and someone has to keep up on them. And why the assumption that adminstrators are not educators? I would venture to guess that MAYBE the finance person is not an educator, but the rest of them have come up through the teaching ranks. Most importantly, I am stunned that people STILL think that public school budgets are padded. How little money do they think schools need in order to operate?? @jns131: And somehow, a "lesson" will be taught to government if we just let the whole system implode? That'll teach those politicians! Of course, there won't be any fallout among the students, will there? Does anyone have any good, rational answers to my questions? Nope, don't want to hear the hate-filled kind.
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 4:50 p.m.
Perhaps part of that feeling comes from the fact that we just decided we needed to pay the new superintendant of AA $100K more than the last one? That we still have 5 High Schools in AA? Yes, I know this is about Ypsi, but the millage is Washtnaw county. Seems like the pain isn't bad enough yet for the fat cats to take a small hit. Oh well, fire some more teachers and ask for more money, just let me keep my $280 k/year.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 6:16 p.m.
How 'bout making both changes at the same time? I'm not going to bat for your enemies with the coffee cups, though. So if you want to get rid of them first, you're quite welcome. Not all that wise of Ypsi not to coordinate these things. I know it's apples and oranges, but running a millage at the same time the failed income tax idea is being re-floated along with making people pay for each bag of garbage (when it's much cheaper to privatize collection, which would based on containers at the curb) will meet with resistance.
Cash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
Dotdash, I am all for education. What I am NOT all for is waste! Why all of the non-educators employed in administrative roles? Why is tax money we paid for our local K-12 schools being moved by Snyder to give to higher ed??? We are paying for local K-12 education...but it is being grabbed and given to higher ed....and we saw on Sunday how that money is being used. WHY?
dotdash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.
Sadly, I think there is a lot of administration in education these days. NCLB and other federal mandates mean paperwork, tracking, etc. I'm against waste, too. But pragmatically speaking, if you provide less money to a system, it's not necessarily the waste that goes away. I've never worked for a company in which there wasn't a huge amount of waste. Maybe that's just my bad luck, but I doubt it. I think it's a good point re higher ed. Maybe it's just a dodge to cut the total bill while pitting the public schools against organizations that should be their allies. Too cynical? I don't know.
Cash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 4:34 p.m.
stuns, Get rid of all of the NON-educators employed to carry their coffee cups around, and we can talk about the teachers.
BornRaisedYpsi
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 2:01 a.m.
Define "non-educator", if you please. I'm curious to see who in an average school you would consider a "non-educator".
dotdash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:57 p.m.
I think we should be spending more money, not less, on education locally -- especially at times when the state cuts more funding . I won't have any kids in the AAPS next year, but I will vote for this millage. These are our kids. Our community. Those of you who are complaining about the amount being spent on education should look at per-pupil spending in other states. There are many states whose per-pupil spending is 50% higher than ours. Truly, we are not extravagant here in Michigan.
stunhsif
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:38 p.m.
I think public support would be stronger for all millages if the MEA and all public schools put the kids first rather than their unions. This will not pass, taxpayers pockets are empty and the little change they have in their pockets is going to pay for higher gas prices.
Cash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:05 p.m.
grye, Isn't that what is already done to every single taxpayer citizen? Aren't we all asked to pay for our success? If we don't tax people for their success....there would be no more income tax at all.
grye
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 1:29 p.m.
If this millage doesn't pass, the money to fund the program will come from the rest of the school systems' budgets due to required funding for these programs. This will be a further drain funds for the rest of the students. All though this was supposed to be a temporary millage, due to the budget issues, it needs to be passed again. This doesn't mean that the school systems shouldn't look at ways to consolidate expenses and realize savings through an economies of scale. That should be a forgone conclusion. Of course others here will say just tax the wealthy and businesses. Make them pay for their success.
Steve Norton, MIPFS
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 5:01 a.m.
You can't just hand things over to the county, since most special ed students are in regular classrooms. Since one in seven county students receive special ed services, you need to have people running the show, and ensuring accountability, at the district level. Especially since the districts are answerable to the state and federal governments about how they provide these services. How would voting no on the millage help? No more money will be coming from Washington; the Feds pay some for special ed, but only a fraction of the cost of what they require. The state also requires special ed, and had to be sued (Durant decision) to get them to pay for it. However, they took that money out of the funds that were going to schools anyway. And Snyder didn't propose cutting unemployment benefits, that was the Legislature's idea. And money was not the primary issue. Ideology was.
jns131
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
The federal government pays for the special ed. The federal government is broke so they are forcing this down the throats of the general population. Vote no. Let the people we voted into office realize that we need to go after the feds for the money. The states can't afford this. Why else did Snyder just reduce the 26 weeks to 20? To pay for everything else the state can't pay for. Welcome to Michigan, the state of depression. Guess Snyder wants to be the last one to turn off the lights.
Grant
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:04 p.m.
Not until the county has explored every single option for providing more cost effective and perhaps more consolidated service. At a bare minimum, you could cut 9 or 10 Special Education directors, and turn programming over to the county.
Top Cat
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 1:14 p.m.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but when this millage was first put on the ballot, wasn't it supposed to "temporary" ?
EyeHeartA2
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 1:46 p.m.
Correct me if I am wrong, but when social security was first passed wasn't it supposed to be self sustaining? I'd go on, but there is a word limit now.
Cash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 11:06 a.m.
"Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed budget would cut $470 per student from (K-12)schools, while using about $900 million from the school aid fund to fund community colleges and universities." ......Quote above from this morning's Detroit News. <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20110329/POLITICS02/103290363/1408/LOCAL/Dems-buck-Snyder--oppose-plans-to-tap-school-aid-fund-for-community-colleges" rel='nofollow'>http://www.detnews.com/article/20110329/POLITICS02/103290363/1408/LOCAL/Dems-buck-Snyder--oppose-plans-to-tap-school-aid-fund-for-community-colleges</a> ___________________ If K-12 needs more of our money as requested in a millage, why are we taking it from them at the state level? Whether it comes out of the state tax money or millage money it is till OUR money !! Do we want K-12 money given to higher ed ?
AMOC
Thu, Mar 31, 2011 : 2:14 a.m.
A couple years ago, that was EXACTLY what the MEA and the universities were lobbying for. They wanted a co-ordinated PreK-16 integrated education plan for the whole state. Though they expected to get a lot more money by doing so. I think that consolidating most educational support services at the county / intermediate school district level, and closer coordination between high schools and the colleges / universities and among the community colleges and universities would be a good thing for Michigan students and taxpayers.
jns131
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:32 p.m.
Agreed. I can't fathom this idea myself. We turned down a millage last year to help bail out schools so why on earth do we want to bail out special ed if they are declining as it is? Use the general fund if enrollment is down. Might as well privatize everything they can to save money. Ypsi did it and I think it is time to rethink Ann Arbor might as well. I am not voting for this millage at all. I pay enough in taxes for everyone else except myself. Special ed and general can fight it out among themselves. Vote no.
Cash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 10:38 a.m.
Too many non-educators running the show here. "director of student support services", "transition coordinator", and the list goes on, I'm sure. We need to see a report JUST like the one that David Jesse, now of the Detroit Free Press did for higher ed, but done for K-12 in Washtenaw County. How much money is being spent on non-educators? Over the past five years have they received salary increases? What's the percentage? Also, with the impending doom of huge tax increases for the elderly and for the working poor, don't count on any millage being passed, for any purpose. Simply put....we are TAPPED OUT! This is the 2nd article in a short time period pushing this millage. To balance that, how about an article exposing where the money goes? Dig in and report, Ann Arbor.com! We are waiting.............
Steve Norton, MIPFS
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 4:54 a.m.
"Director of Student Support Services" means the administrator in charge of special education services in the district. Ann Arbor calls it "Student Intervention and Support Services." WISD does coordinate services, and provides direct services to the most disabled students. You can't just hand things over to the county, since most special ed students are in regular classrooms. Since one in seven county students receive special ed services, you need to have people running the show, and ensuring accountability, at the district level. Especially since the districts are answerable to the state and federal governments about how they provide these services.
Cash
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 11:13 a.m.
I agree. Former educators in my family have often talked about the excess of non-educators paid by tax dollars in each school...carrying around their coffee cups while the teachers spent their time with kids. We need to be smarter and not allow our emotions to cloud the reality. I'm sure we all love special ed kids. That doesn't excuse waste.
Grant
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 11:01 a.m.
This transition coordinator sounds like yet another administrative position added recently to the district. In other counties (Kalamazoo, for one) Special Education services are consolidated through the intermediate school district, which provides services for all schools. There must economy of scale by reducing the duplicate services in each district. I feel that this election is very premature, until all options are reviewed. As for the possible tax increases for the elderly, I agree. Also, senior citizens represent a large portion of the voters in most elections. The county will be forced to explore options, as the election is likely to go down in flames.
eastsidemom
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 10:33 a.m.
There is every reason to support the Special Ed. Millage in May. While I do not support raising taxes on any of us working so hard in this bad economy...this is a renewal and is worth every penny. Vote to support education in May 3rd!
Steve Norton, MIPFS
Wed, Mar 30, 2011 : 4:49 a.m.
There is no debt for operations, and schools have not been "spending us into hard times." The hard times started in the private sector. Schools have seen their resources shrink for the past decade. Special education services are mandated by state and federal law. Millage or no millage, schools will have to provide the same services. Having the millage allows the schools to take less money from general education to provide these key programs. Special ed is a very specialized, highly regulated area; the county and individual school districts already collaborate a great deal, but you can't just wish away the need for administrators in each district. One out of seven students in the county receive special education services.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.
I agree with Grant, until I see the gov't being more carefull with my hared earned money they get a big fat no. Enough is enough, you've spent us into hard times and now it time to pay the pipper, it's going to hurt but we have to get debt under control first!
Grant
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 11:05 a.m.
Not until the county has explored every single option for providing more cost effective and perhaps more consolidated service. At a bare minimum, you could cut 9 or 10 Special Education directors, and turn programming over to the county.