CTE Millage Proposal
COPESD Voters to Consider CTE Millage on November 4
On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, residents of the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District (COPESD) will consider approving a career and technical education (CTE) millage.
If approved, this proposal would be in place for the next six years, and 100% of the funds it generates would be used to establish and enhance vocational education programs and provide resources to all of the school districts and communities within our region.
Today, four of the 10 school districts that COPESD serves have technical and vocational education programs in place, which means we are considered a CTE desert. Our education service district is also one of 15 in Michigan without this type of funding.
click below to view the video for more information on the CTE Millage.
Through a proposed consortium, industry partners would advise COPESD and each local school district on CTE curriculum and program development to align student learning with the current and emerging needs of our regional workforce. We also have a group of business, agency, and school partners focused on eliminating barriers across our region to help foster more of these opportunities to connect students with skills and careers within our communities.
By taking a collaborative and regional approach, our region can offer a greater variety of vocational programs than any single school district could provide alone.
COPESD’s current levy rate ranks as the fourth-lowest among the state’s education service districts. The proposed CTE millage would add one mill, which is equivalent to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value.
The upcoming millage vote follows a 2024 survey conducted by COPESD that focused on vocational education in Cheboygan, Otsego, and Presque Isle Counties. Ninety-four percent of the 1,207 survey respondents agreed that COPESD’s plans to enhance and expand CTE opportunities were a good idea.
Additionally, 67% of respondents acknowledged a growing need for high school graduates to have CTE-related skills, while 69% of respondents indicated likely support for a potential tax increase of up to one mill to fund CTE program opportunities.
You can find more information about the CTE millage by visiting www.cteforcop.org. This online resource features answers to frequently asked questions, and a contact form is available to submit questions.
