In an effort to raise community awareness of the important non-homestead school millage renewal on the Nov. 7 ballot, the director of curriculum for Oxford schools paid a visit to last Thursday’s Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce meeting at Independence Village.
Jim Schwarz spoke to the group about how the renewal of the $5.4 million, 18-mill tax is significant in maintaining the district’s funding and student’s high quality education over the next 10-years.
Schwarz said the number one question he gets asked about the millage is how the district will be affected should it not pass.
‘We could remove all transportation, all sports, all administration, all extra curriculars, all clubs and still not be at $5.4 million,? he said.
Oxford currently receives $7,343 in per-pupil funding. The state assumes the local school districts collect the full 18-mills from non-homestead properties and subtracts that amount from the funding. The local non-homestead tax equates to more than $1,200 per student.
Schwarz also told the chamber members that the district would have to eliminate ‘about 85 teachers? if the millage doesn’t pass.
‘To our district, that’s catastrophic,? he said.
If any community members would like to volunteer for the Keep Improving District Schools (KIDS) campaign, which is leading the effort to support a ‘yes? vote for the millage renewal, contact Robert Martin at (248) 628-7743 or Tony Magdaleno at (248) 969-2256.