Five out of 14 school districts across central and northern Michigan passed bonds early November.
Michigan schools saw a higher success rate for passing bonds than in the past two election cycles.
Here is a look at the bonds that passed and failed within the region:
Passed:
- Rogers City Area Schools sinking fund millage proposal
- Hesperia Community Schools bond proposal
- Mason County Central School District bond proposal
- Kaleva Norman Dickson School District bond proposal
- Mancelona Public School sinking fund millage proposal
Failed:
- Reed City Public Schools bond proposal
- Chippewa Hills bond proposal
- Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District CTE proposal
- Gladwin Community Schools bond proposal
- Harrison Community Schools bond proposal
- Kent Intermediate School District millage proposal
- Saginaw Township Community Schools bond proposal
In November, the passing rate of school bonds in Michigan was 64.6%, according to Bridge Michigan. In August, that rate was 58.3%, and in May it was at 49%. Despite this, only five of 14 school districts in central and northern Michigan passed bonds.
Schools within central Michigan saw the most school bonds fail. Don Wotruba, executive director of Michigan Association of School Boards, said rural areas reject bonds more than other areas.
“I do believe suburban areas and southern half of the state passed (bonds) at a better rate than rural areas,” Wotruba said. “(Passing bonds are) rare, and it’s rare because you have to ask so much of your voters and still get, in some ways, so little. And on our more property wealthy areas, they don’t have to ask for much.”
Gladwin and Harrison Community Schools were two districts that failed to pass bonds. This was the third time a bond has failed to pass in Gladwin Community Schools. Before the election, Superintendent Chuck Frisbie said many people are worried about paying assessments to fix the Edenville and Sanford dams after damage from widespread flooding in 2020.
School boards often have to work with the community to make sure the bond works for them as well. Robert Vaught is the superintendent of DeTour Area Schools, a district in the upper peninsula.
He says sometimes, residents can be detached from the public schools and have to go into the schools themselves to see why districts are proposing certain bonds. He said this is especially important in smaller school districts.
"I mean, it's their school. They're paying for it. They should be able to come in and see it and see what needs to be updated," Vaught said. "Sometimes we are in our own little island, so to speak."
Mason County Central School District was one of the five districts within the region that were successful in passing a bond. After four failed attempts, Superintendent Jeff Mount said his school district not only went to the community but broadcasted information on social media sites and flyers in an attempt to inform as many voters as possible about the bond.
Mount said he thinks the bond passed because the district is expecting to pay off some bond debt in January.
"The timing of the no tax increase was, I think, the key that pushed (the bond) over to a resounding win versus a narrow win or a narrow defeat," he said. "It was really, really good timing for our community."
The school boards of districts with failed school bonds will be planning for future bonds on the renovations and upgrades their school buildings still need. Larry Jose is the bond co-chair of Chippewa Hills, a school district that failed to pass a bond that would be used for security upgrades and the building of a new auxiliary gym.
He said his district will be meeting to discuss how to get voters to vote yes on the bond in the next election.
"We're going to find out what the next appropriate steps are because the need (for security) still exists."
