Voters approve just over half of Michigan school bond proposals

Voters approved $198.98 million in school bond requests during Tuesday’s election
Voters rejected school bond requests in five school districts
Romulus Community Schools had the largest bond request on the ballot and failed to get it passed

Michigan voters approved just over half of the school bond requests on the Tuesday ballot.

Twelve school districts asked voters to approve taxes to pay for school district items. In the end, voters approved 58.3% of school bonds, a rate higher than the May 2025 election but lower than the November 2024 election.

Voters approved $198.98 million in school bonds for seven school districts and rejected $236.15 million for five districts, according to a Bridge Michigan analysis of Gongwer News Service election data.

School bonds used to be an easy sell in communities but have had lower passage rates in recent years. In May, 49% of school bonds were approved, and in November 2024 during the presidential election, 62% of school bond requests were approved. Experts have said the economy, complicated nature of school finance and shifting attitudes about public education since the pandemic may all be reasons for lower passage rates.

“This is just really indicative of economic uncertainty for voters, and they’re going to be pretty cautious,” said the executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards, Don Wotruba.

He said voters have heard about tariffs and don’t know what their expenses will look like a year from now. Unless someone looks closely at a flyer or attends a community meeting, they are “probably looking at it purely as a tax increase.”

School districts can use bonds to pay for constructing or remodeling buildings or athletic facilities, bus purchases, energy conservation improvements and certain technology hardware. They can also use sinking funds, which are pay-as-you-go funds. Those funds can also be used for school security and technology purposes.

Romulus Community Schools had the largest school bond on the ballot, for $153 million. Superintendent Benjamin Edmondson told Bridge if the bond had passed, there would be a zero-net tax increase. Now, taxpayers will see their taxes lower in January.

“They are going to see a tax relief from this but we still have an infrastructure issue, but now when we come back to you it’s going to be “ooh, you’re raising my taxes.’ And that’s going to be an uphill battle.”

The district will use its existing sinking fund to demolish a “dilapidated” building, but Edmondson said the district will have to hold off on $11 million of parking lot repairs since the bond failed.

He said the district did two city council presentations, held four open houses, sent 9,000 mailers and posted on social media. He said some critique the district for its test scores but the district is seeing students’ scores grow despite starting sometimes years behind.

“Yes, achievement can always be better, but I can’t control what parents do at their house but I can control what’s happening in the classroom.”

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In the 2023-24 school year, just 46% of the students who lived in the district attended district schools, according to a Bridge analysis. Edmondson said he appreciates anyone who came out to vote during the election.

Au Gres-Sims Superintendent Chris Ming told Bridge the district’s building needs a new roof in parts of the elementary, middle and high school areas. An $11.99 million bond proposal failed Tuesday.

“We need to regroup,” he said. “We missed a one-time opportunity to do something amazing and fantastic for our community.”

Fitzgerald Public Schools, Mason County Eastern District and Negaunee Public Schools passed sinking fund increases but Grant Public Schools’ sinking fund increase proposal failed.

Voters approved a sinking fund millage renewal for Northville Public Schools.

There were 11 school operating millage renewals on the ballot. All of them passed.