Char-Em special education millage to be on May ballot

Karly Graham, The Petoskey News-Review
·1 min read
Char-Em ISD special education teacher Mike Olivier takes a student for a tour of the newly redesigned and improved-access playground at Taylor School in summer 2023.
Char-Em ISD special education teacher Mike Olivier takes a student for a tour of the newly redesigned and improved-access playground at Taylor School in summer 2023.

PETOSKEY — While the presidential primary has come and gone, the next election is already top of mind for the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District.

The Char-Em ISD has a special education millage renewal on the May 7 ballot. The renewal has been approved every four years since it was first approved in 1980, Char-Em ISD Superintendent Scott Koziol said in a release.

Students in Char-Em ISD special education programs participated in the “Arts are for Everyone” performance at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in spring 2023.
Students in Char-Em ISD special education programs participated in the “Arts are for Everyone” performance at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in spring 2023.

The ballot proposal is asking for a four-year renewal of 1.4606, bringing in around $10.3 million each year from 2024-27 for special education funding.

“This millage impacts the lives of thousands of students and their families in our region, from newborns to students up to age 26, including their lives beyond school," Koziol said. "It provides critical services to students with disabilities in every Char-Em ISD district.”

Specialized transportation and trained staff ensure students with disabilities are transported safely each school day across the Char-Em ISD region.
Specialized transportation and trained staff ensure students with disabilities are transported safely each school day across the Char-Em ISD region.

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Special education services are run with the help of state, federal and local grants and funding, in addition to the millage. Without the millage, districts would have to reallocate funds from existing student programs to comply with state and federal mandates for special education services, Koziol said in the release.

The funding is used to help reimburse Char-Em school districts, Char-Em operated classrooms and the Patricia A. Taylor School for their special education-related expenses, along with special training for teachers and evaluation services. The money is also used to provide specialized transportation for students with disabilities and career and college preparation.

Voters in the Alanson, Beaver Island, Boyne City, Boyne Falls, Central Lake, Charlevoix, Ellsworth, East Jordan, Harbor Springs, Pellston and Petoskey school districts will be asked to vote on the proposal.

— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN. 

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Char-Em special education millage to be on May ballot