In this article, we outline who determines the district's needs, why the bond was proposed, what the funds would have covered, how the cost would have affected local taxpayers, and more.
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Article updated 2025-11-05
Saginaw Township Community Schools put forth a bond proposal for the November 4, 2025, election, asking residents to fund the updating and renovation of aging school buildings to keep the local education system modern and strong.
The proposal reflects both a practical need and a community decision. Saginaw Township’s schools have served generations of families, but many of the buildings now show their age, with infrastructure, safety, and learning environments that no longer meet modern standards. This bond proposal represented an opportunity for residents to decide how the township’s schools evolve to meet the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s community.
Voters rejected the proposal—7,691 no to 4,735 yes—indicating that, at least for now, school safety, infrastructure, and modernization are off the table.
“Even though the bond wasn’t approved, the needs within our district remain,” said Superintendent Jamie Kraatz. “Our buildings are decades old and require important updates. In the months ahead, we will review the results of the election and begin discussing next steps.”
Birch Run voters also rejected their school bond proposal
“While we are certainly disappointed that the bond proposal did not pass, we respect the decision of our community and are grateful for the dialogue and input that took place throughout the process over the past year, said Superintendent Diane Martindale in a letter to the community. “Our shared commitment to providing the best possible education for our students remains unchanged.”
What happens now?
Everything stays the same. Nothing gets fixed or updated—at least not yet. The needs remain, the buildings continue to age, and the question ahead is one we’ll all have to answer together:
What do we do about our schools, and what kind of future do we want for Saginaw County’s children and communities?
Stay tuned for more...
Saginaw Township Community Schools (STCS) serves families across Saginaw Charter Township and parts of Kochville Township. The district provides education from preschool through 12th grade and plays a central role in the community.
At a glance:
Modern, functional, and secure school facilities are essential for STCS to continue providing the high-quality education its students and families expect and to sustain the broader economic health of the community it serves.
Read: How Michigan Schools Get Their Money
In Michigan, a school bond is a voter-approved loan that allows a school district to borrow money for major construction and renovation projects, such as replacing roofs, updating heating and cooling systems, building secure entrances, or modernizing classrooms and labs.
There’s no other source of funding for major facility updates—bonds are the only way a district can raise money for construction and modernization.
Whether our schools remain safe, sound, and suited to today’s educational and technological needs ultimately depends on the choices we make at the ballot box.
The last time Saginaw Township Community Schools asked voters to approve a bond was in 2008, when the district sought $40.5 million for facility updates. That proposal passed with 3,877 yes votes to 3,210 no votes, at about 17% voter turnout.
The 2008 bond focused on remodeling and modernizing existing school buildings, including energy conservation upgrades, improved climate control, and safety and security enhancements. It also funded secure entrances at elementary and middle schools, technology improvements for classrooms, and updates to athletic and parking facilities.
These investments helped extend the life of the district’s buildings, but most of them are now well past 60 years old. The current proposal reflects a new level of need—moving beyond maintenance to address core infrastructure, safety, and learning environments built for today’s educational standards.
Saginaw Township Community Schools asked for a bond in 2025 because its buildings have reached a point where patchwork repairs aren’t enough. Most of the district’s eight schools are more than 60 years old, with the oldest nearing 90 years old. Aging infrastructure, outdated layouts, and safety concerns are starting to affect both learning and daily operations.
The district’s 1-mill sinking fund—about $1.3 million a year—can only handle small repairs, not major upgrades or replacements. State funds cover operations, not construction, and federal COVID-19 relief dollars are gone.
At the same time, the 2008 bond, which funded earlier safety and energy-efficiency improvements, is nearing the end of its repayment cycle. District leaders viewed this moment as a chance to reinvest without creating a sudden spike in taxes—using the phase-out of the old bond to transition into the next generation of improvements.
With critical facility issues mounting and construction costs rising each year, they say now is the right time to act before repairs become emergencies that pull money away from classrooms.
The proposal wasn’t developed in isolation. To determine what needs to be fixed, how much it will cost, and how those investments will impact students, the district assembled a team of administrators, educators, and professional advisors to review data, assess conditions, and shape the proposal:
These individuals are working together to balance educational priorities, financial responsibility, and community expectations—a process that has led to a detailed plan addressing the district’s most pressing needs.
The need for security upgrades is critical because school shootings have increased more than 12 times since 1970. The likelihood of children being victims has also increased more than fourfold.
The old buildings don't support modern education, which is now collaborative and project-based ("not sit and learn").
The problems are beyond small maintenance; they are "Critical Infrastructure Failures".
Learn more at the www.stcs.org website.
On November 4th, 2025, Saginaw Township Community Schools asked voters to approve a $169.2 million bond proposal to repair and update aging buildings, improve safety and accessibility, and modernize learning environments across all eight schools.
If approved, the proposal would have added 3.95 mills to local property taxes — equal to $3.95 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. Taxable value is typically about half of a home’s market value and can only increase by the rate of inflation or 5%, whichever is lower.
For example, a home with a taxable value of $100,000 (roughly a $200,000 market value) would pay about $395 per year, or roughly $33 per month.
The district still has a small balance remaining from the 2008 bond, which will be paid off soon. The new proposal is structured to begin as that older debt retires, minimizing overlap and keeping the tax rate steady over time. Financial advisors from PFM say this plan allows the district to fund critical improvements while maintaining one of the most responsible millage rates among similar districts in the region.
Public education isn’t just a service — it’s a constitutional responsibility shared by every Michigan resident. Under Article VIII, Section 2 of the Michigan Constitution, the state must “maintain and support a system of free public elementary and secondary schools.” This means every Michigan resident has both the right to a public education and the shared responsibility to help fund it — whether or not they currently have children in school.
This principle is part of a larger social contract — the idea that strong communities depend on everyone contributing to shared public goods like police, roads, and schools. When voters consider a bond proposal, they’re exercising one of the most direct forms of civic power available: deciding how to invest in their community’s future. Bonds can only be used for specific building improvements — not salaries or operations — and state law requires regular audits to ensure transparency and accountability.
In that sense, a school bond vote is more than a financial decision; it’s a reaffirmation of a community’s long-standing commitment to ensuring that every child — now and in the future — has access to a safe, effective place to learn.
Strong schools are the foundation of a thriving community. Families and businesses alike consider school quality a key factor when deciding where to live, work, and invest.
While Saginaw Charter Township remains one of the most stable communities in the region, Saginaw County’s population has been gradually declining for decades. That makes it even more important to strengthen the assets that attract new residents and retain existing ones — and high-performing, well-maintained schools are among the most powerful of those assets.
With major employers such as Corning, Hemlock Semiconductor, and the new Medical Diamond development investing in new facilities and expanding their workforce, the area is poised for significant growth. To capture those opportunities, Saginaw Township needs to position itself as a community of choice — a place where families want to put down roots and businesses want to invest.
Modern, safe, and well-equipped schools make that possible by:
But the benefits of strong schools reach beyond economics — they also shape student achievement and opportunity. Research consistently shows that the physical condition of schools directly affects learning outcomes, attendance, and graduation rates.
Saginaw Township’s aging buildings were designed for a different era — one built around desks in rows and lecture-style instruction. Today’s classrooms need flexible layouts, integrated technology, and safe, comfortable environments to support collaboration and hands-on learning.
Investing in updated facilities supports measurable improvements in student success by:
Schools are an investment in the vitality of the community itself: in its families, its economy, and the lifelong success of every student who walks through its doors.
Every community decision comes with debate, and school bonds are no exception. While many see them as necessary investments, others have understandable concerns about timing, costs, or trust in how funds will be used.
Common reasons people may oppose the 2025 bond proposal include:
Ultimately, these concerns stem from a desire to make sure public funds are used responsibly. They highlight the importance of transparency, clear communication, and accountability as the district presents the case for why investing now may cost less — and yield more — in the long run.
The voters rejected the 2025 bond proposal, and Saginaw Township Community Schools will continue to operate; however, the challenges that prompted the proposal won’t disappear — and many will likely become more expensive over time.
Without bond funding:
Ultimately, rejecting the bond wouldn’t save money — it would delay and increase the cost of addressing issues that are already known and documented. The decision before voters isn’t just whether to spend, but whether to plan for the future or react to crises as they come.
When school bond proposals come up, they often raise the same few questions — especially about cost, funding sources, and necessity. Here’s how the Saginaw Township School District 2025 bond breaks down.
While the numbers, millage rates, and construction plans are complex, the core question is simple: what kind of learning environments do we want for our students and community, and what can we do to make it happen?
Note on Content Creation: This article was developed with assistance from AI tools to help organize research and refine language. All facts were independently verified, and the structure, analysis, and conclusions reflect the author’s own work.
The following sources were used to develop this report:
STCS bond information and proposal overview (https://www.stcs.org/page/bond-2025)
“Effects of Classroom Ventilation Rate and Temperature on Students’ Test Scores”
This study found that better ventilation and lower classroom temperature were statistically associated with improved performance—each 1 °C drop in indoor temperature was linked to score gains in math and reading. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26317643/) PubMed
“School Facility Conditions and Student Academic Achievement” — National Center on School Infrastructure - This review of multiple studies states that the condition of school facilities (including thermal comfort, noise control, and maintenance) significantly affects both student performance and teacher effectiveness. (https://school-infrastructure.org/resources/school-facility-conditions-and-student-academic-achievement-no9/) National Center on School Infrastructure
“Study: Hotter Classrooms Make it Harder for Students to Learn” — U.S. News article summarizing research - The article reviews a large-scale analysis showing that when classrooms get too hot, student test scores drop, and installing air conditioning helps mitigate these effects. (https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2018-05-29/study-hotter-classrooms-make-it-harder-for-students-to-learn) US News
“Higher Temperatures Equal Lower Test Scores — Study Confirms That Students Learn Less in Overheated Classrooms” — Chalkbeat - This article discusses research showing that each increase in average classroom temperature correlates with a slight drop in performance on standardized exams, with stronger effects for lower-income and minority students.
(https://www.chalkbeat.org/2018/5/28/21105105/higher-temperatures-equal-lower-test-scores-study-confirms-that-students-learn-less-in-overheated-cl) Chalkbeat
Corning increased solar Michigan facility investment to $1.5B - Utility Dive (https://www.utilitydive.com/news/corning-1-point-5-billion-solar-wafer-plant-expansion-richland-township-michigan/746900/)