WISD seeks career, tech millage proposal; offering open-house meetings

WISD administrators, board trustees, and construction management partners pictured at the 2020 groundbreaking ceremony for WISD’s new facility on Wagner Road. Mirror file photo.

by Marsha Chartrand

The Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) is inviting residents of its constituent districts, including Manchester, to learn more about the Career Technical Education (CTE) millage proposal that will be on the November 4 ballot.

“Career Technical Education enhances classroom experiences for every student by connecting their learning to what they love. CTE is about self-discovery and understanding your purpose and place in the world,” stated WISD Superintendent Naomi Norman. “It provides hands-on opportunities and matches students to real world pathways that lead to college and career success.”

Career Technical Education helps students understand why they learn what they learn from preschool through high school graduation. It helps students explore in-demand, high-wage, high-skill career pathways in fields like healthcare, engineering, skilled trades, aviation, automotive, robotics, entrepreneurship, and more. Through CTE, high school students can earn dual-enrollment college credit and industry-recognized credentials and certifications. In 2024, Washtenaw CTE students earned 1,395 certifications and 86% of them went on to college after graduating high school.

This 2025–26 school year, 34 (38%) of Manchester 11th- and 12th-grade students are enrolled in CTE through the South and West Washtenaw Consortium (SWWC). Twenty-five Manchester students are enrolled in high-demand programs such as Automotive Technology, Building Trades, Careers in Education, Exercise Science & Sports Medicine, Computer Integrated Engineering & Manufacturing, Culinary Arts, and Health Sciences, in addition to others. In addition, nine Manchester students successfully completed a state-approved CTE program last school year and are now furthering their experience working with local business and industry partners through a Work Based Learning opportunity. These students have the opportunity to apply acquired academic and technical skills in real-world settings with local business/industry.

Ryan Rowe, the director of WISD’s CTE programs, says, “The programs offer a variety of opportunities within the district, as well. The enrollment in SWWC CTE programs is in addition to numerous students enrolled in state-approved CTE programs housed at Manchester High School. These programs and pathways include Agriscience, Business/Finance, and Engineering Technology.”

However, Washtenaw County students have less access to CTE programs than other students across Michigan. In Washtenaw County, access is limited and dependent on which school a student attends: Ann Arbor has 13 unique programs, Ypsilanti has five, and Whitmore Lake has four — all fewer than the state average (of Michigan Youth Policy Lab, 2022). The SWWC, which includes Dexter, Chelsea, Lincoln, Manchester, Milan, and Saline, offers 21 unique programs to students, which is still fewer than school districts like Northville, Kalamazoo, and Rochester, which all have 30+ unique CTE programs.

“Students are demanding CTE in Washtenaw County. Over the last four years, high school CTE enrollment in Washtenaw has grown by 69%, plus hundreds of students are on waitlists for programs like health sciences, welding, and building trades,” Rowe stated.

Voters residing in the nine school districts served by the WISD will vote on a 1.0 mill, 10-year Career Technical Education proposal that, if approved, would expand new and existing CTE programs and provide additional age-appropriate experiences from Pre-K through 12th grade that build on each other as students learn and grow:

• Pre-K: Wonder — Children utilize play and imagination, sparking curiosity about how the world works.
• Grades K–5: Awareness — Students discover personal interests and a sense of self, expanding their view of what is possible.
• Grades 6–8: Exploration — Students explore their interests and skills and match them to potential career pathways.
• Grades 9–12: Preparation — Students connect academic content to careers through real-word, applied, and experiential learning and plan for their future.

The WISD is offering a series of in-person and virtual information sessions on the CTE proposal:

• Tuesday, September 16, at 5:30pm, via Zoom webinar (register here)
• Wednesday, September 24, at 5:30pm (register here) — Held at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District located at 1819 S Wagner Rd, Ann Arbor, MI
• Thursday, October 9, at 6:30pm (register here) — Held at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District located at 1819 S Wagner Rd, Ann Arbor, MI

“If the CTE proposal is approved by voters, Washtenaw students will have more access to career pathways they want like health sciences, welding, construction trades, engineering, and entrepreneurship, and they will have access to new, innovative programs like drone and aviation technology, electric vehicles, robotics, and more,” continued Superintendent Norman. “We want every voter to have the facts about this proposal and hope they will join us at an information session.”

The WISD Career Technical Education proposal will be on the November 4, 2025, ballot. Voters can learn more about the CTE millage proposal at www.washtenawisd.org/ctemillage.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.