News from Saginaw County Citizens for Special Education
July 25, 2022
For Immediate Release
Contact Information: Ann Schneider-Branch
Email: editoriallicense@gmail.com
The Saginaw County Special Education Parent Advisory Council today endorsed the special education millage proposal on Saginaw County’s August 2nd ballot.
The 1.5583 mill special education proposal was placed on the August 2nd ballot by Saginaw Intermediate School District (Saginaw ISD). If approved by voters, all revenue from the millage will be shared by Saginaw County’s twelve local school districts and six public school academies.
“We are supporting this special education millage because it affects all 25,623 students in Saginaw County,” said Ann Schneider-Branch, chairperson of the Parent Advisory Council.
“If this millage is approved, two things will happen,” she said. “First the $8.1 million funding shortage in special education funding will be nearly eliminated. This means all public school districts and public school academies will not have to take substantial amounts of money from their operating budgets to pay for special education funding shortages.
“Second, the revenue from a successful millage election will go to Saginaw County’s twelve public school districts and six public school academies. This will positively affect every student in every public school and public school academy in Saginaw County.”
If approved by voters, Saginaw ISD will continue the comprehensive special education services it provides to public schools and academies while using millage revenue to alleviate funding shortages in local public school districts and public school academies. None of the special education millage revenue will go to Saginaw ISD.
Saginaw ISD and local school district superintendents are hoping the millage election will have a positive outcome. “Everyone has been working hard to help voters understand the importance of this election and how it will affect students across the County,” Schneider-Branch emphasized. “We have endorsed this millage because it makes sense, because it will affect so many students, and because the cost is reasonable.”
According to information from Saginaw ISD, voter approval of the 10-year special education millage proposal will cost the average Saginaw County homeowner 21¢ per day. Some homeowners will pay more, but most will pay less than 21¢ per day.
Registered voters can cast their ballot at the polls on Election Day or by absentee ballot now through 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
To obtain election-related information, Saginaw County voters are invited to visit www.sisd.cc
and click on Special Education Millage Election. Residents are also invited to contact Erin Senkowski, SISD Executive Director of Special Education, at (989) 249-8708 or by email at senkowskie@sisd.cc or David Krantz, SISD Director of Special Education, at (989) 249-8754 or by email at dkrantz@sisd.cc.
In addition, voters can contact their local Superintendent for information about how the election will benefit their school district.
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