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SWWC director urges voters to back Nov. 4 CTE millage, cites rising demand and program costs
Summary
Kara Stemmer, SWWC director, told the Saline Area Schools board that demand for county career and technical education has grown sharply and that a Nov. 4 millage would provide sustainable funding for programs serving six districts; she said about 78% of surveyed students use CTE skills after graduation and cited an estimated $10.3 million annual cost to run county CTE programs.
Kara Stemmer, director of the SWWC career and technical education consortium, urged Saline Area Schools board members on Oct. 14 to support a countywide CTE millage on the Nov. 4 ballot, saying it would sustain and expand programs that have seen rapid enrollment growth.
Stemmer told the board that the consortium serves six districts — Dexter, Chelsea, Lincoln, Milan, Manchester and Saline — and that recruiting for CTE programs begins in 10th grade. She cited a follow-up survey showing roughly 78% of respondents report using the skills they learned in CTE classes after leaving school, and said enrollment interest has climbed from about 1,800 to about 3,100 students in recent years.
“It’s the hands-on learning, the not sitting behind a desk, following your passion,” Stemmer said, adding that CTE builds employability skills as well as technical competence.
The presenter said county CTE programs collectively cost roughly $10.3 million to operate and that the millage would create a more sustainable funding model to meet growing demand and expand seats. Stemmer also noted that state equipment grants have supported growth in previous years but were not available this year, reinforcing the rationale for a local funding source.
Stemmer reminded residents that absentee ballots were mailed Sept. 28 and urged voters to return them by Nov. 4. She invited community members to tour CTE labs during scheduled open-house events and highlighted industry partnerships, donated equipment, scholarships and internships that bolster programs.
Board members and students in the audience described first-hand benefits. A student who has taken multiple CTE courses said programs offered certifications such as ServSafe and practical experiences, while a board member pushed back on social media claims that the millage is a general-fund “money grab.” Stemmer and other presenters emphasized that funds collected would be allocated to CTE and reinvested in CTE programming across the county.
The board did not vote on the millage; Stemmer’s presentation was delivered as an informational report ahead of the public vote.
