Monroe County Technology Millage Renewal PASSED!
THANK YOU, MONROE COUNTY VOTERS, FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOLS!
The renewal of the Regional Enhancement Millage Renewal Proposal, more commonly referred to as the Tech Millage, will be on the ballot on May 4th. The renewal of this millage will provide continued opportunities to our staff and students that directly impact teaching and learning in Bedford classrooms for another 5 years!
WHAT IS BEDFORD’S SHARE OF THIS COUNTY-WIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL?
This renewal proposal would continue to collect the same amount at 0.9866 mills.
THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX OR A TAX INCREASE!
Every school district in Monroe County shares in the benefits of the Educational Technology Millage Renewal. Each district receives a share, based on their K-12 enrollment, at approximately $312.85 per student. Each district creates their own plans for the revenue generated by this proposed millage renewal to serve the needs of their students.
This renewal will generate over $1,000,000 annually for Bedford Public Schools to invest in educational technology and related services.
BEDFORD STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM OUR TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS
Bedford students have benefited from the technology investment this millage has made possible. The availability of student devices, the technology tools for teacher use, and the access to digital resources enhance learning on a daily basis in our classrooms. Having all of these pieces in place made pivoting to online learning in a pandemic possible.
The renewal of the Tech Millage in May 2021 will provide continued opportunities to our staff and students that directly impact teaching and learning in Bedford classrooms for another 5 years!
Use this link to download and view the trifold brochure PDF for FACTS ABOUT BEDFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS & THE MONROE COUNTY EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY MILLAGE
BEDFORD’S MILLAGE PLANS INCLUDE:
DEVICES FOR EVERY STUDENT
- Continuing to supply Chromebooks for ALL students in all grades Y5/K-12
DIGITAL RESOURCES & ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS
- Online instructional tools for teachers and students such as Brainpop, Moby Max, Zearn, Screencastify, EdPuzzle, and more
STAYING CONNECTED
- Wireless system upgrades
- Expand WIFI access outside of each school building for 24/7 access
INCREASED CAPACITY & SPEEDY, RELIABLE ACCESS
- Infrastructure upgrades like expansion of bandwidth to allow for simultaneous connections for web conferencing and synchronous learning throughout the district
PLANNING AHEAD FOR END-OF-LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENTS
Refresh 1:1 of aging, end-of-lifecycle student Chromebooks on an annual schedule at grades 4 and 9 cycle. Devices removed from student assignment are repurposed for classroom use in the younger grades or for parts inventory to fix other Chromebooks in circulation, if feasible.- Replacement of aging classroom teaching tools such as document cameras, teacher laptops, and audio.
BETTER QUALITY AND ENERGY SAVINGS
- Replacement of aging, end-of-lifecycle classroom projectors with 65" interactive flat panels which offers better visual clarity, visibility and interactivity while also providing huge energy cost savings
DATA & NETWORK SECURITY
- Increasing network security to provide greater protection of staff and student data
EXPAND TRANSPARENCY & CONTROL AT HOME FOR PARENTS
- Implement a solution to allow parents to monitor and control their students' Chromebooks (block sites, pause internet access, view sites students have visited and searches they perform) outside of the school day via the GoGuardian parent app
CONTINUED EDUCATIONAL MISSION SUPPORT
- Continue to invest and maintain the hardware and software necessary to run the daily operations and support functions in the district departments beyond classroom instruction.
Technology use teaches students lifelong skills that give them an advantage in an increasingly competitive world:
ON DIGITAL ASSESSMENTS
Online testing for state assessments is now mandatory. Students will perform better if they are tested in the same environment that they are taught.
ON COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
Many students apply for a limited number of openings. Good scores on the digital assessments and technology proficiency make them more desirable candidates for admission.
IN THE JOB MARKET
Competition is fierce for good paying jobs and most require the use of technology. Those experienced with technology will have an edge.
FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENTS
The skills students first learned in school will give them the confidence to adapt to new and changing technology throughout their careers.
Bedford will continue to research and invest in unique learning opportunities, robust materials, and updated equipment to give our Bedford students rich digital experiences to help them live and learn in an increasingly digital world.
Evolution of Instructional TechnologY
IN MONROE COUNTY
Since 1997, the Monroe County Technology Enhancement Millage has afforded the school districts in Monroe County the ability to provide students with the most up-to-date educational technology.
The evolution of instructional technology in Monroe County as a result of this millage are illustrated in this Technology Timeline Graphic PDF produced by the Monroe County ISD (shown in thumbnail image) since it first passed in 1997.
OFFICIAL BALLOT WORDING
The official proposition language that will appear on the ballot on Tuesday, May 4, 2021:
REGIONAL ENHANCEMENT MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL
This proposal will allow the intermediate school district to continue to levy regional enhancement millage that will expire with the 2021 levy. Pursuant to state law, the revenue raised by the proposed millage will be collected by the intermediate school district and distributed to the constituent districts of the intermediate school district based on pupil membership count.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Monroe County Intermediate School District, Michigan, be renewed by .9866 mill ($0.9866 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2022 to 2026, inclusive, to provide operating funds to enhance other state and local funding for constituent district technology purposes and related expenses; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2022 is approximately $6,151,499, which funds are expected to be disbursed as required by statute to Airport Community Schools, Bedford Public Schools, Dundee Community Schools, Ida Public Schools, Jefferson Schools, Mason Consolidated Schools, Monroe Public Schools, Summerfield Schools, Whiteford Agricultural School District, New Bedford Academy, Triumph Academy, and Monroe County Intermediate School District (this is a renewal of millage which will expire with the 2021 levy)?
ADDITIONAL FACTS ON THE TECH MILLAGE RENEWAL
This fact sheet PDF file, Facts about the Monroe County Educational Technology Renewal and the May 4, 2021 Election (shown in the thumbnail image), produced by the Monroe County ISD, explains the answers to questions such as:
- Who is conducting the May 4th millage renewal election?
- How are the funds distributed?
- Why is the May 4th vote a county-wide election?
- Is this a new tax? (NO! It is not a new tax!) What is the amount being requested?
- When is the election? Who can vote on this proposal?
- How will the millage be used in our schools?
This will answer many of the questions you may have about voting in Bedford Township on topics such as:
- Voter Registration: Am I Registered? How To Register? When Do I Need to Register By?
- Where Do I Vote?
- What Time Are The Polls Open?
- What Do I Need To Know About Absentee Ballots?
HISTORY OF THIS MILLAGE
In 1997 a one-mill countywide technology millage was approved by the voters of Monroe County. In 2001 the millage was renewed at slightly less than one mill at .9963. In 2006 a renewal of this millage was approved for .9866 mill (less than a single mill); which was again renewed in 2011 and 2016. The funds from this millage are distributed to each local district on a per pupil basis and can only be used to support technology in our schools.
As a result of the technology millage, the manner in which instruction is delivered to our students has changed.