Ypsilanti residents will have two additional proposals on their November ballot, both dealing with consolidating the Willow Run Community Schools and Ypsilanti Public Schools.
The first proposal would combine the geographical territories of the two separate school districts into a single new district.
The second will authorize an $18 million tax to pay for the operational expenses of the new school district. The levy will be applied to non-homestead properties located within the newly combined district.
Both proposals must pass for the consolidation to take place. The first proposal will formally merge the two current districts and the second will fund it. If only one of the two proposals passes, consolidation will not take place.
According to Emma Jackson, Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s public relations director, combining the two districts is seen as the first step in a new “cradle to career” education model aimed at better preparing students.
“We’re looking at creating a new education model and a more sustainable budgetary model,” Jackson said.
Voters must authorize the collection of taxes in the new district to fund the new school. This is to take the place of the previous $18 million levy already in place for the two soon-to-be-defunct separate school districts and is not, Jackson assures, a tax increase.
It is unknown how the change will affect the 4,800 students of the Willow Run and Ypsilanti school districts, but the consolidation will affect the faculty and staff of the two schools.
“Yes, there will be some elimination of administrative services,” Jackson said. “You’re likely not going to need as many people.”
Jackson said because the current districts would be dissolved if the proposals pass, all current staff at the two districts would have to reapply for positions in the newly consolidated one.
“In the end, there may not be any layoffs because of some teachers retiring or others seeking out other opportunities,” Jackson said.
The two districts have been suffering from declining enrollment, budgetary deficits and low achievement scores.
“We decided it was time to come together to leverage our
resources,” Jackson said.
The boards of education for the two districts met at Eastern Michigan University in August to discuss the matter and come up with a plan. Both school districts are running a deficit and both are in debt. Ypsilanti owes around $10 million and Willow Run owes more than $2.4 million.
“As the economic picture turned more dismal, talk turned toward full consolidation,” Jackson said.
The boards voted to bring the issue to the public and put it on the Nov. 6 ballot as two proposals. If the proposals do not pass (again, both need to pass for consolidation to occur), one or both of the current districts may be appointed an emergency manager by
the state.
Consolidating the two districts would give the schools a 10-year extension to repay current debts. The newly consolidated district would also be eligible to apply for state grant money from Michigan’s school aid budget; a $10 million fund available specifically to districts that have consolidated.
The consolidation would also place a three-year restriction on opening any new charter schools within the new district.
The proposals have been endorsed by the staff of AnnArbor.com.
“We urge the voters in these districts to approve the merger,” the staff said in an editorial. “[We] believe that it’s necessary at this point.”
