Voters this fall will have a lot of decisions to make, including one regarding school funding.
The Wayne County Enhancement millage is a 1.98 mill tax on property owners across the county. The $108 million generated by the tax is distributed to public and charter schools based on enrollment. Wayne RESA is asking that the tax be renewed for six years.
Dearborn Public Schools receives more than $7 million each year from the enhancement millage.
That funding is unrestricted, meaning the district can use it for any expense. Since the millage was first approved in 2016, the district has set aside millions of dollars most years to be used on building expenses. The enhancement millage paid to create a four-classroom addition at Dearborn High. A project to fund air conditioning at eight elementary schools was also assisted by millions of dollars from the enhancement millage. A large project to revamp district buildings at the Henry Ford Early College is also using money from the millage.
Other costs covered with the enhancement millage include eliminating pay-to-play fees so students do not have to pay to participate in afterschool sports and clubs. Money also is allocated to assist with reading intervention for elementary students who are struggling, paying for technology upgrades including servers and computers, reducing class sizes, and raising substitute pay to attract quality assistance.