Special education millage vote on May 2
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MARQUETTE -- Registered voters living in Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency school districts will vote on the 20-year special education millage proposal in May.
"We currently have a structural deficit in our RESA boundary," Marquette-Alger RESA Superintendent Greg Nyen said. "We are $5 million short every year on a collective basis across 13 school districts."
Marquette-Alger RESA covers 12 public school districts and North Star Montessori Academy in Marquette and Alger counties. Across the 13 districts there are just over 9,000 students, including approximately 1,600 students with disabilities.
Nyen said the current annual cost to educate students with disabilities is $25 million, while Marquette-Alger RESA receives $20 million in revenue. He said special education has various funding streams through local millage and the state and federal government.
"You can't spend any less on students with disabilities than the year you did before," Nyen said.
Due to the $5 million shortfall, MARESA districts have to make up the difference with general operating funds.
"This (millage proposal) is an opportunity for special education to be fully funded and so, rather than having to take money from other parts of the budget to cover special education costs. We have a very unique opportunity in this region, if voters opt to support the ballot questions to fully fund special education," Nyen said.
Safeguards put in place through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act prevent school districts from cutting special education resources.
Nyen said when IDEA was first introduced in the 1970s, the federal government would fund special education costs at 76 cents on the dollar.
Nyen said the highest MARESA has seen was around 30 cents on the dollar.
"There's an incredible cost with addressing the needs of students with disabilities, and school districts will have an opportunity now to have more flexibility within their own budget to address the needs of all students," Nyen said. "If there's no longer a transfer necessary from the general fund, then that money can stay in the general fund for other local priorities."
According to the Marquette-Alger RESA website, the 20-year special education millage proposal will increase the levy by the intermediate school district of special education millage previously approved by voters. This results in a tax increase of 1.5 mills.
"The additional 1.5 mills will provide an additional $4.7 million to really plug that structural deficit," Nyen said.
The proposal will cost homeowners who live in Marquette and Alger counties in a $200,000 home $12.50 per month or 42 cents per day, according to MARESA's website.
If the millage is approved by voters, Nyen said there will be resources available to support students with disabilities or at-risk students with barriers to learning.
"There will be more resources available for students who are excelling at school," Nyen said. "More opportunities for advanced placement types of course work, gifted and talented programming, more extracurriculars and could result in lower teacher-to-student ratios."
If voters approve the millage, revenue would be distributed to Marquette-Alger RESA school districts and North Star based upon the cost to educate the number of special education students residing in each district, according to MARESA's website.
Nyen said if the millage is approved, Marquette and Alger counties will become more desirable places in which to live. The Marquette-Alger RESA website indicates that research shows that real estate values become higher in communities with strong school districts.
"It's no secret that when you look at the economic health of a community, the general (things to look for) are: Is there a strong infrastructure available? Is there affordable housing? Is the job market sound? Is quality health care an option? And of course, the 'always important' is the strength of a public school system," Nyen said. "We want to make sure all of our public school systems (in Marquette) and Alger counties are top performing school districts."
Annie Reinertsen is a family doctor who oversees prescriptions for special education services through Marquette-Alger RESA, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and more.
"From a medical perspective, the sooner we can identify and treat any sort of disability when it comes to development, the better the outcomes are for pediatric patients and for many families. Those services are only met through the schools and programs like Early On," Reinertsen said. "So having funding available to provide every child that needs these services support what they need is crucial to them meeting their best outcome for whatever disability they are facing."
Reinertsen said if the millage is approved, the community benefits in the long run by helping students as early as possible.
"I think the impact of special education services in the first development of a kid's life really is going to set the stage for their health and well-being for the rest of their life," Reinertsen said. "I think that we should view this not just as an investment for the children now, but also in the lives of our future adults and community members."
The election is slated for May 2.
For more information on the special education millage, visit maresa.org/special-education-millage-2023.