UPDATE on the Proposed CTE Millage for COPESD Local Districts
94% of funds generated by the new levy would flow to local school districts and program partners
A proposed millage that would fund the creation and expansion of career and technical education (CTE) programs at school districts in the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District (COPESD) will be considered by voters on Tuesday, November 4.
If it’s approved, the property tax levy would be one mill, which is equivalent to $1 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For every $100,000 in taxable home value, the tax impact would be $100 annually, or $8.33 per month.
COPESD’s property tax levy rate ranks as the fourth lowest among Michigan’s 56 service districts. About 73 percent of the state’s educational service districts have a voter approved CTE millage in place.
If COPESD voters approve the millage, the six-year proposal would sunset in 2031 unless renewed.
“The purpose and priority of the CTE millage is to provide students in each and every community with access to vocational programs,” said COPESD Superintendent Jamie Huber. “Since Proposal A reformed school finance in the 1990s, this type of millage must be done on a regional basis. However, funding from the millage would flow to local schools, and the resulting CTE programs would be offered in each LOCAL school district in partnership with businesses and industries in their community.
”COPESD’s millage proposal is similar to the plan in place at the neighboring Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District, which has 53 vocational programs across its 11 school districts using CTE millage funds. By working collaboratively together, the region's local school districts can offer more of these programs than they can individually for their students. Six of the 10 school districts served by COPESD currently do not have CTE programs. All the funds generated by the proposed millage would be used for vocational and technical education, with 94 percent of revenue collected by COPESD flowing to school districts and program partners. Local districts, using these voter-approved funds, would develop vocational CTE programs in partnership with LOCAL business and industry in their respective communities.
In addition to investments in existing CTE programs and creating new ones at local school districts, a small percentage of millage revenue would be used for COPESD’s CTE summer camps and academies for students in grades 7-12 across local communities. Areas of study offered last summer included First Aid and CPR, robotics, engineering, public safety, building trades, welding, and heavy equipment operation.
CTE programs differ from traditional shop classes. These types of state-approved programs provide academic work and technical skills, are advised by industry partners, and lead students to obtaining industry certifications and training. “Through CTE programs, students gain real-world skills and explore potential career fields right in their own communities,” Huber said. “These opportunities can position them to be successful in the workplace beyond high school and right here in our region’s local communities.”
“Manufacturing and the trades—these are meaningful, powerful careers, and if we can build this workforce up here, we can build a year-round economy,” said State Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs.
COPESD serves Cheboygan Area Schools, Gaylord Community Schools, Inland Lakes Schools, Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools, Mackinaw City Public Schools, Onaway Area Community Schools, Posen Consolidated School District, Rogers City Area Schools, Vanderbilt Area School District, and Wolverine Community School District.
More information about the proposed November 4th CTE millage across for COPESD local districts can be found at www.cteforcop.org.
