Residents throughout the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District will vote on a millage proposal to restore funding for career and technical education programs on May 5.
This would essentially replace a program that has been in place for 30 years managed by the Char-Em ISD without any new taxes. It impacts K-12 students in 11 local school districts, including Alanson, Beaver Island, Boyne City, Boyne Falls, Central Lake, Charlevoix, East Jordan, Ellsworth, Harbor Springs, Pellston and Petoskey. The measure replaces a millage benefiting career and technical education (CTE) that expired with the 2025 tax levy.
The proposal, if passed, would increase the district’s tax levy by 1 mill, or $100 annually for every $100,000 of taxable value, for four years, from 2026 through 2029. If approved, the district estimates it would collect approximately $8.2 million in 2026 from local property taxes.
The millage would fund CTE programs, including skilled trades and workforce training opportunities for students. Char-EM ISD Superintendent Scott Koziol said the millage would fund programs in topics ranging from health and business to welding and aviation.
“It would help our schools refresh supplies and get the latest, up-to-date equipment to support every student in our 11 school districts,” Koziol said. That includes tools, gloves and Carhartt gear for high school students and funding the Char-EM ISD’s Street STEAM trailer and dedicated career and technical coordinator that supports K-8 classrooms throughout the region.
District officials noted that the proposal is a continuation of a longstanding millage first approved by voters in 1996. The majority of Char-Em ISD’s CTE program is funded by the millage, which also pay for drones, robots and an array of other equipment.
“People would be amazed at what middle schoolers are doing with drones,” Koziol said.
The ISD works with local business owners and chambers of commerce to adjust programs based on demand.
“We can respond quickly to what we’re hearing from our local contacts and partners,” Koziol added.
One example was the recent development of a cosmetology program at Harbor Springs Public Schools based on feedback that there was a shortage of professional cosmetologists in the area.
“We established that class within eight months and students came from a number of neighboring districts to Harbor Springs for the (program),” Koziol said.
Funding from the millage is distributed to each of the 11 local districts in an equitable manner, based on an established formula. Each district has at least one CTE program while many districts have multiple.
Jim Rummer, long-time Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education Director, said CTE programs provide students with employability and technical skills that they need to enter the workforce and to be college or trade school-ready.
“Char-Em’s overall career tech program is looked at as a model statewide for how to prepare students in their post-graduation pursuits,” said Rummer. “For example, our line worker and aviation programs are helping to fill critical gaps in those industries, where retirements are outpacing new hires.”
If rejected, the district would not levy the tax for those programs, which largely would disappear. Koziol doesn’t even want to think about what the impact on students might be if that happens.
“(The millage) is where we get most of our funding from,” he said. “There would be very limited (career and technical) opportunities in our 11 districts. It would be absolutely devastating to our students.”
Koziol is happy to speak and meet with any local resident with questions about the millage and even show them examples of the benefits at area schools. Additional information about the millage is available at charemisdcareertech.org.
“We have nothing to hide here,” Koziol said.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Char-Em ISD puts career and technical education millage up for May vote
Reporting by M. Alan Scott, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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