Investing in Our Schools Together: MPS Sinking Fund
For more than a year, Midland Public Schools has been working alongside families, staff, and community members to create a long-term plan for our school facilities.
The Midland Public Schools Board of Education has approved placing a 1.5-mill, 10-year sinking fund proposal on the November 3, 2026, ballot. The Midland Public Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal addresses the district’s most urgent school safety, security and basic infrastructure needs to help prepare our students for success.
How We Got Here
This proposal is the result of months of planning, community input, and careful evaluation of our schools' facilities.
Working with facility planning partners GMB, Three Rivers, and Clark Construction, the district completed a comprehensive $550 million facility assessment, gathered feedback from families, staff, students, and community members, and assembled a group of community members, the Blueprint for Tomorrow Steering Team, to identify priorities for the future. Together, those efforts helped shape a recommendation that focuses on maintaining and improving our schools in a fiscally responsible way.
Click the buttons below to read the 2025 Facility Assessment or to learn more about the process that led us here.
The safety of our students has never been more important.
This proposal would support critical school safety enhancements and improvements to help keep our students safe, including:
Secure buzzer entry systems
Security camera upgrades
Playground safety improvements
The Midland Public Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal also supports the replacement of aging infrastructure in existing buildings, including:
Roofs
Plumbing
Heating and cooling systems
Electrical upgrades
A fiscally responsible proposal
The Midland Public Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal is a fiscally responsible and accountable proposal. For the average homeowner in the Midland Public Schools district, the proposed 1.5-mill sinking fund would cost approximately $15 per month.
Following months of community input, the district proposed a sinking fund because it allows the district to make critical improvements without incurring debt or paying interest.
If passed on the November 3 rd ballot, all funds from this proposal will be publicly disclosed and subject to annual independent audits to help ensure taxpayer dollars are spent in a responsible and transparent manner.
Looking Ahead
Voters will have the opportunity to consider the proposed sinking fund on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Between now and Election Day, MPS will continue to share information, answer questions, and provide opportunities for our community to learn more about the proposal and the long-term plan for our facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on each question below to see answers to frequently asked questions.
A facility assessment is a thorough evaluation of the physical condition, functionality, and suitability of a school district's buildings and infrastructure. This assessment serves as a guide for informed decision-making on the District's long-term maintenance, renovation, and construction plans. The MPS facility assessment was completed through collaboration among administration, department leaders, and athletic directors, with guidance from GMB, Clark Construction, and Three Rivers.
A 1.5-mill property tax levy spanning a 10-year duration.
The specific ballot language is:
MIDLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINKING FUND MILLAGE PROPOSAL
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Midland Public Schools, Midland County, Michigan, be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2026 to 2035, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for:
school security improvements;
the repair or construction of school buildings;
the acquisition of student transportation vehicles;
the acquisition or upgrading of technology;
the acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for or in the maintenance of school buildings;
the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used for maintenance of such student transportation vehicles and such eligible trucks and vans; and
all other purposes authorized by law;
the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $4,570,265?
A sinking fund is a ‘pay-as-you-go’ tax levy used as a savings account for school facility repairs and infrastructure upgrades.
The law allows a sinking fund to be used for:
purchasing real estate for school buildings (NOTE: The Board of Education chose to remove this line from the ballot language. If approved, MPS will not be able to purchase real estate with the funds.)
constructing or repairing school buildings
school security improvements (e.g., metal detectors, cameras, and entryway enhancements)
instructional technology
student transportation vehicles (including buses)
parts, supplies, and equipment used to maintain student transportation vehicles
trucks and vans (registered under the Michigan Vehicle Code) used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for
building maintenance
parts, supplies, and equipment used to maintain those trucks and vans.
Sinking fund revenues generally may be used for repairs, but not maintenance. Maintenance is preventative and keeps assets in good working condition, while repairs are corrective and restore assets that are no longer in good condition.
Over the last three years, MPS has conducted two independent facility assessments to determine infrastructure and programmatic needs. In each assessment, it was confirmed that a large volume of work is needed in the near future at MPS facilities. It is worth noting that each report highlighted strong efforts by MPS Operations teams to maintain facilities. In addition, the 2015 bond provided a solid foundation for further work. However, the average age of MPS buildings is approximately 65 years. Nine MPS school buildings were built over 20 years, from 1950 to 1970. A consolidated cluster of 60-year-old buildings presents numerous infrastructure and maintenance challenges.
A bond initiative was proposed to the community on the May 2025 ballot to address areas of the facility assessment. This bond proposal was not approved by voters.
Comprehensive efforts were taken to gather community feedback on the failed initiative (surveys, numerous feedback sessions, etc.). A steering committee composed of community members with diverse backgrounds and perspectives was formed to assist the Board of Education in developing the next facility capital initiative. The committee met numerous times during the 2025-2026 school year, intensively studying facility assessments, school funding mechanisms, and community feedback. They ultimately recommended that the Board of Education pursue a modest sinking fund to address immediate needs focused on:
Enhancing safety and security
Repairing critical infrastructure
Enhancing CTE facilities
The committee openly acknowledged that the sinking fund did not address the full scope of MPS facility needs. They recommended that the District continue to communicate with stakeholders to develop a broader plan over the next two years and to seek a potential bond initiative in 2028.
The ‘Blueprint for Tomorrow’ steering team recommended a sinking fund as they identified there are urgent needs to address. They acknowledged that a bond is likely necessary in the near future (2028 suggested), but more time is necessary to plan and gather community input.
The lifespan of each school facility varies depending on factors such as age and condition. The District conducts thorough facility assessments approximately every 8-10 years to evaluate infrastructure needs, usage, projected enrollments, and educational trends, ensuring the District makes wise, forward-thinking investments to extend the life of each building as much as possible through regular maintenance and updates. Given the age of some facilities, it's likely that periodic new construction will become necessary every decade or so to meet modern standards and accommodate future needs. The ages of current MPS schools are:
No. This fund only targets critical facility issues. The facility assessment conducted by GMB/Clark/Three Rivers identified approximately $500 million dollars of work over a 10-year period. The ‘Blueprint for Tomorrow’ steering team recommended that a bond be considered in 2028 once further communication with the community has occurred.
Michigan public schools receive money from several different sources, but each source has specific rules about how the money can be used. Most of the money schools receive is intended to pay for daily operating costs like teacher and staff salaries, classroom supplies, transportation, utilities, and educational programs.
A sinking fund is different. It is a local property tax that voters approve specifically to pay for building improvements and major repairs. By law, sinking fund money cannot be used to pay employee salaries or operate schools.
Without a sinking fund, the district would have to use its operating budget to pay for projects like replacing roofs, repairing parking lots, improving security, upgrading heating and cooling systems, or renovating classrooms. Every dollar spent on those projects is a dollar that cannot be spent on students, teachers, or educational programs. A sinking fund helps protect classroom funding by paying for building needs with money that is legally dedicated for those purposes. This allows the district to maintain safe, functional schools while keeping operating dollars focused on educating students.
Community partnerships and local philanthropy play an important role in enriching educational opportunities, and Midland Public Schools is grateful for the generous support that has helped expand programs like International Baccalaureate and STEM.
However, charitable donations are not a sustainable way to fund building repairs and infrastructure. In Michigan, bonds and sinking funds are voter-approved funding tools specifically designed to maintain and improve school facilities, providing a stable, reliable source of revenue for long-term needs.
The District's facilities assessment identified more than $500 million in capital improvements over time. Needs of this magnitude require dedicated funding that allows the District to responsibly maintain its buildings while preserving classroom dollars for students and teachers.
You've come to the right place! On this page, we'll post regular updates on project progress and associated fiscal information. In addition, updates will be provided through regular District communications channels (newsletter, social media, etc.) and at Board of Education meetings.
By law, a Michigan school district is required to have an independent audit of its sinking fund activities annually. The audit verifies that funds were used on projects allowed by law and the specific ballot language.
Note: MPS has a strong record of compliance with supplemental facility fund requirements. All audits of funds from the 2015 bond campaign found that MPS used them appropriately.
While there was discussion about possible options for both a 2026 and 2028 bond proposal, no plans were finalized. The Steering Team recommended that the District continue the conversation with MPS stakeholders for an extended period to focus on current District conditions and possible solutions aligned to the Strategic Plan and student outcomes.
Strong public schools strengthen an entire community. They help protect property values, foster community pride, and make the area more attractive to businesses, families, and future residents. A well-maintained school system signals that a community invests in its future.
A sinking fund is a dedicated savings account that enables the District to pay for building repairs, safety improvements, technology upgrades, and infrastructure projects in cash. By using sinking fund dollars for these essential needs, the District can preserve classroom funding for its intended purpose: supporting students, teachers, and high-quality learning. It's a fiscally responsible approach that benefits not only our schools, but everyone who calls our community home.
Members from the GMB/Clark/Three Rivers team and the MPS Operations team collaborated to vet projects identified as urgent in the facility assessment. These projects were considered alongside ‘real-time’ observations from MPS Operations team members and anticipated revenues vs. project costs. Priorities identified by MPS stakeholders through survey data and Board of Education feedback served as an additional lens to create a 1- to 4-year scope of work.
See below for a list of proposed projects for Years 1-4.
Projects for years #5-10 will be developed over time utilizing the same process.
It is worth noting that emergency/urgent facility needs could alter the planned course of work. The Board of Education has committed to openly discussing any significant alterations or additional projects that emerge.
Technology infrastructure includes items such as servers, security cameras (school and bus), door access controllers, school P.A. systems, HVAC controllers, voice enhancement systems, staff devices, etc.
Multiple experts have declared that replacing Northeast is a wiser use of funds than renovating it. However, there are currently no mechanisms in place (bond funds, etc.) to fund the cost of building a new middle school.
If a funding mechanism were to be in place (future bond), design and construction is estimated to take approximately 6 years to complete. Investing in base infrastructure at Northeast (such as the roof) is essential to keep students and staff in a safe environment that is conducive to learning. The design team has committed to finding solutions that are as cost effective as possible and designed to be shorter-term solutions.
Note: Experts have analyzed the Northeast Middle School roof and have recommended adding an additional membrane vs.a full replacement. This option is significantly less expensive and will provide the time to develop a longer term facility solution.
The 1-4 Year plan does not include stadium or athletic facility renovations. It is relevant to note that emergency/urgent facility needs could alter the planned course of work. The Board of Education has committed to openly discussing any significant alterations or additional projects that emerge.
The District operates a fleet of 40 buses. Strategic replacement of the oldest buses enhances safety and reduces operational (repair) costs associated with maintaining vehicles beyond their useful life. The cost to purchase buses has risen significantly in recent years. When purchased in November 2025, the average cost per bus was $165,000. Funding the purchase with sinking funds alleviates having to cover the cost from the general fund, allowing those funds to be spent on student programming/outcomes.
The impact on property owners depends on their home's taxable value, typically estimated at half its market value. The annual cost is determined by the following formula:
Taxable value of home x mills / 1000
For example, a $250,000 home is assumed to have a taxable value of $125,000. When the $125,000 is multiplied by 1.5 mills and then divided by 1,000, the projected annual cost for this home would be $187.50 ($15.63 per month).
If you are unsure of the taxable value of your home, you can find it at the following:
The District projects collecting approximately $4.6 million dollars annually or $46 million over the life of the 10-year millage. This is subject to change based on property values.
