On May 5, voters countywide will be asked to renew a property tax that helps fund special education in all Kalamazoo County public schools.
This renewal continues existing support for services like speech therapy, resource teachers, and assistive technology for students with disabilities. It generates about $16.8 million annually, shared across local school districts to cover costs not funded by state or federal dollars.
This is not a new tax – homeowners would pay the same 1.5 millage rate that was first approved in 2015.
How does the Special Ed Millage help Portage Public Schools? Every school district in Kalamazoo County benefits from this funding. These dollars support special education teachers, classroom aides, therapies and technology in our district.
The millage reimburses costs that aren’t covered by other funding, allowing us to serve students with disabilities without using general classroom funds.
For factual information about the millage, visit KRESA.org/millage.