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.
(Image from Homes.com )
Article updated May 6, 2026
Saginaw Township Community Schools placed a $94.2 million bond proposal on the May 5, 2026, ballot — the third time in three years the district has asked residents to fund repairs and updates to its aging school buildings.
The history matters here. In May 2023, voters rejected a $242.9 million proposal that included a new high school. In November 2025, the district came back with a scaled-down $169.2 million proposal focused on comprehensive facility needs — and voters rejected that too, 7,691 no to 4,735 yes.
The needs didn't go away. The buildings didn't get younger. So the district went back to the drawing board, cut everything non-essential, and returned with a significantly smaller ask — focused strictly on safety, security, and critical infrastructure. No new buildings. No athletic facilities. No extras.
"We listened carefully to our community and reduced the scope of the bond to focus only on critical needs that keep students safe and provide updated learning environments," said Superintendent Jamie Kraatz.
The dollar amount dropped from $169.2 million to $94.2 million. The tax impact dropped from 3.95 mills to a net increase of 1.00 mill — roughly $60 per year, or $5 per month, for a home with a market value of $120,000.
What didn't change: the buildings. Most of the district's eight schools are more than 60 years old. The oldest, Hemmeter Elementary, is 89. The facility issues documented in 2023 and again in 2025 are still there — they're just more expensive to fix with each passing year.
“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.”
FAILED: The $94.2 million bond proposal to repair and update aging buildings, improve safety, and modernize learning environments across all eight schools failed to pass.
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. Now, nearly two decades later, the district is on its third attempt to address a new level of need — one that goes beyond maintenance to core infrastructure, safety, and learning environments built for today's educational standards.
Saginaw Township Community Schools asked for a bond in 2026 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 district is also launching an energy conservation project in June 2026 — covering LED lighting, HVAC controls, bathroom renovations, and water conservation — funded through projected energy savings, not new taxes. The district estimates it will save over $7 million over the life of the project. But that funding is restricted to energy-related improvements. It doesn't touch roofs, security vestibules, classroom enclosures, or structural repairs — which is exactly what the bond covers.
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.
Secure Entrances: Every school in the district will receive enhanced security upgrades to its entrances. The goal is a vestibule system in which a visitor enters a secure room, is screened while contained, and the second door opens only after screening is complete.
Heritage High School currently has four main entrances, but only one is secure. Students, buses, teachers, and visitors enter through unsecured doors. The bond adds secure vestibule additions at multiple entry points.
White Pine Middle School, an open campus where students travel between buildings during the school day, will receive a new secure entrance and visitor center addition.
Enclosing Open Classrooms: Several elementary schools were built in the 1960s and 70s using an "open concept" design — large, barrier-free spaces with no walls or doors between classrooms. At the time, this was considered progressive. Today, it makes lockdown procedures impossible. Sherwood and Arrowwood Elementary are both slated for major open classroom enclosure renovations. As Saginaw County Commissioner Rich Spitzer put it: "Having a wide open, open concept classroom set up is an invitation to mass casualties."
Today's education is collaborative and project-based. The district's aging buildings weren't designed for it.
STEM, STEAM, and Maker Spaces: Sherwood, Arrowwood, White Pine, and Heritage are all slated for new or renovated maker spaces, STEAM labs, and specialty learning labs. Current electrical systems can't support modern devices — new wiring and infrastructure are part of these renovations.
Small Group Instruction: Hallways and file-cabinet dividers are currently standing in for proper small group spaces at several schools. Sherwood, Weiss, and Arrowwood will all receive renovated small group instruction classrooms.
Additional Classrooms: Westdale and Weiss are both operating near capacity. Both will receive new classroom additions — roughly 2,900 square feet each.
Noise and Distraction: Beyond the safety issue, enclosing open classrooms at Sherwood and Arrowwood also directly improves learning. Research shows enclosed classrooms improve test scores by 5–17 percentage points and can double reading development rates in early learners.
HVAC: Every single building in the district is included in the bond for HVAC system work. None of the district's schools have air conditioning. Studies show that when classroom temperatures exceed 74°F, student performance in reading and math declines — and the ideal range for learning is 68–74°F.
Finishes and Furniture: Every building includes updated finishes and furniture — floors, ceilings, paint, and basic furnishings. These aren't cosmetic extras; they're part of creating environments where students and teachers want to show up every day.
Mackinaw High School: Worth noting specifically because it's often overlooked in bond coverage — Mackinaw, the district's alternative high school, is included. Bond priorities there include HVAC, acoustics and circulation improvements, and relocating the district's Special Education offices to better serve students.
The district heard the community. Athletic facilities — the turf field, softball complex, and tennis courts — are all removed. No new buildings. Bathroom renovations appear in the plans as "needs from other funding," meaning they'll be addressed through the energy savings project and sinking fund, not bond dollars.
Learn more at the www.stcs.org website.
On May 5, 2026, voters rejected the Saginaw Township Community School's 94.2 million bond proposal to repair and update aging buildings, improve safety, and modernize learning environments across all eight schools.
If approved, the proposal would have add a net increase of 1.00 mill to local property taxes — equal to $1.00 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 a home with a market value of $120,000 (taxable value of $60,000), the cost would be roughly $60 per year — about $5 per month.
For comparison, the November 2025 proposal would have added 3.95 mills. This proposal is a fraction of that.
The 2008 bond is nearing the end of its repayment cycle. The new proposal is structured to begin as that older debt retires, minimizing overlap and keeping the overall tax rate as stable as possible. The bond term has also been reduced to 20 years.
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 2026 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.
If voters reject a bond proposal, 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 2026 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/)