What’s Next: Washtenaw County Voters Approve Career Technical Education millage

The approval of the countywide Career Technical Education (CTE) millage will eliminate barriers and expand access to purposeful, hands-on, applied and experiential learning in every school district across Washtenaw County, Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) Superintendent Naomi Norman said after voters passed the millage on November 4.

“This millage will eliminate barriers and expand access to purposeful, hands-on, applied and experiential learning in every school district across Washtenaw County, and I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to voters on behalf of our schools and students,” Norman said. “We are extremely grateful for the trust our community has placed in us. We look forward to continued collaboration with our partners in this work to build a transparent, countywide framework that benefits PreK-12 students in all districts and strengthens our region’s talent pipeline.”

The WISD said it will now look to make the funding work for school districts in the county. In an announcement celebrating the vote, the WISD said the funding “will provide a sustainable local source of support for CTE programs, helping schools maintain and update existing programs and technology, expand equitable access to students across all communities, provide earlier exposure to career pathways, and strengthen connections with industry and postsecondary partners to meet skilled workforce needs.”

According to the WISD, CTE is an educational approach where students learn by doing, connecting traditional, rigorous academic concepts with practical, hands-on, real-world opportunities. 

The WISD said it will continue working with local school districts, area business and industry, and other key partners to develop a plan for expansion in the immediate and long-term future.

“Students and families can expect to see additional CTE-related opportunities as early as the 2026-27 school year, including expansion of programs currently piloted this school year such as the Drone and Aviation Technology program, BEST Leadership entrepreneurship capstone, and a middle school experience called From Curiosity to Career,” the WISD said.

“This investment by our community will help shape a generation of hope,” Ryan Rowe, WISD CTE Director and CEPD Administrator, said in the announcement. “Our goal is for every student to cross the stage at graduation with an informed and inspired plan for what comes next, whether it’s college, an apprenticeship, the military, or a high-skill career. This funding allows us to build stronger pathways, connect learning to the real world, and help students see their future within reach.”

A big part of the plan is making things better for each school and expanding programs. The WISD said in partnership with local school districts, the CTE team has put together a list of current CTE programs offered and what proposed programs could be added for each individual school district. The WISD said this includes proposed state-approved 11th and 12th grade CTE programs, as well as PreK-10 CTE experiences.

These expanded programs can connect to future-focused careers in high-wage, high-skill, in-demand pathways in the region, such as: Aviation and aerospace, Automotive technology, Computer science, Construction trades, Cybersecurity, Environmental science, Health sciences, Robotics and engineering and Welding.