Washtenaw Intermediate School District Special Education Millage

Official Policy
August 2004

The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce is providing the following information and comment for the benefit of its membership regarding the Special Education Millage coming before Washtenaw County Voters on September 14, 2004.  

Special education services currently reach 15% or one of every seven students in Washtenaw County.  Both the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) and local school districts provide these services as required by state and federal law.  In addition to federal and state funds, the WISD and local districts share the added costs with the WISD currently covering 67% of local school district funds being devoted to special education needs.  This percentage is down from historic trends that have reimbursed local districts for about 80% of their costs. The increased numbers of special education students and the instability of state and federal funding have caused local districts to devote a larger portion of their general operating funds toward these mandated services 

• The one mill increase, (current WISD levy is 2.9545 mills) is proposed to go toward maintaining the quality of programs for the growing special education population and to increase the reimbursement amount local school districts receive for their special education costs.  For example, it is projected that Ann Arbor Public Schools would receive $2.8 million in additional reimbursements in 2004-2005 if the millage passes.  This reimbursement would enable $2.8 million to be redirected back toward other K-12 priorities in the Ann Arbor Public Schools budget.  The Chamber suggests that the business community and voters alike should be diligent in requesting local school districts to provide information on how these reimbursed general fund dollars will be spent.

 For further information regarding the WISD Special Education Millage, please contact the Washtenaw Intermediate School District at http://www.wash.k12.mi.us/ or (734) 994-8100.