Community input on what local students need to succeed has prompted the Barry Intermediate School District to seek a Regional Enhancement Millage to fund programs targeting learning and career essentials.
The 1-mill request will be on the Nov. 4 ballot for voters living in the Delton Kellogg Schools and Hastings Area School System districts. Funds would be distributed fairly and proportionally to public schools within the ISD.
Barry ISD Superintendent Rich Franklin said the ISD Board of Directors elected to put the millage request before voters based on a survey of residents conducted by Perspectives Consulting Group earlier this year. The survey asked where the ISD could improve learning and career opportunities for District students.
“Residents told us we needed to do more to address student behavioral issues, special education, and career and technical learning,” said Franklin. “They also said they would consider a reasonable millage to support that work."
A Regional Enhancement Millage, or REM, is a tool commonly used by ISDs to address critical needs not met through other resources. A REM raises funds through a voter-approved property tax to strengthen key learning areas and make local schools more competitive. Franklin said the 1-mill REM would raise $1.49 million annually. Those dollars would go directly into student behavioral supports, special education programming, and career and technical education.
Hastings and Delton Kellogg school leaders discussed the potential value of a Regional Enhancement Millage in improving student outcomes.
“Locally, we do a good job within tight budgets to give every Panther a great education,” said Dr. Jeremy Wright, Delton Kellogg Schools Superintendent. “Where critical needs stretch across local school boundaries, additional funding in partnership with the ISD holds promise for doing better for our students.”
"Last spring, our community shared a clear vision for what our students need to succeed, and now the decision rests with Barry ISD voters. I encourage everyone to review the proposed REM, explore the survey results that shaped it, and vote on November 4 to choose the best path forward for our children’s future," said Dr. Nick Damico, Superintendent of Hastings Area School System.
To support that learning effort, Barry ISD has launched an informational campaign. A new webpage with links to a Q&A and the full ballot language is now live at barryisd.org/rem.
“We want to make sure every voter has the details they need, that they get every question answered, so they can make an informed choice at the polls,” said Franklin.
Franklin also committed to keeping that information flow going after the vote. “Barry ISD and local schools will develop a robust communication plan to keep voters informed of how dollars are being used and how they benefit students,” he said.
