School Leaders Eye Midterm Election for Next Funding Measure

KENT, Michigan — Kent School District officials are considering placing their next educational programs and operations levy on the November 2026 ballot rather than waiting until February 2027, district finance director Raul Parungao proposed during an April 1 budget discussion.

The current four-year levy expires on December 31, 2027, and the district faces a $30.5 million shortfall in its 2026-2027 budget. The five-member school board will make a final decision on when to submit the measure to voters, but the August 4 filing deadline for the November 3 ballot remains in place.

Strategic Timing

Parungao outlined two key reasons for considering a November election over a special election in February.

"We're considering going into the midterm election in November of 2026 and it will give us a little bit more opportunity in case we need to use another election," Parungao said. "So say if we fail the first one, we could go into the special election again in February."

The November election also historically sees higher voter participation. When Kent last passed a levy measure in November 2024, voters narrowly approved a reduced capital project and technology levy with 50.77 percent in favor.

Historical Context

Kent voters have shown a complex relationship with school funding measures over the past decade, with success rates hovering around the 50 percent mark.

• November 2023: Voters approved the current operating levy with 50.83 percent in favor
• November 2024: Voters narrowly approved a $97.8 million capital projects and technology levy with 50.77 percent in favor
• February 2022: Voters approved a two-year educational programs and operations levy with 53.8 percent in favor

Previous ballot measures have met with mixed results. In April 2024, voters rejected a similar $190.2 million capital project and technology levy. A $495 million bond measure failed in April 2023 with only 48 percent approval.

The district's current funding challenge stems from three main factors:

• Insufficient state funding
• Rising operational costs
• Declining student enrollment

Budget Vote Coming in June

The school board is scheduled to vote on cutting $30.5 million from the 2026-2027 district budget in June. The district is working to address the shortfall through various cost-cutting measures while simultaneously trying to secure voter approval for additional funding.

Past Bond Measures

Kent has also faced challenges with bond measures requiring higher approval thresholds.

• November 2016: A $252 million bond received 67 percent approval after initially failing in April 2016 by 218 votes
• April 2023: A $495 million bond failed with only 48 percent approval (required 60 percent for passage)

Looking Ahead

The King County Elections filing deadline of August 4 must be met to place any measure on the November 3 ballot. Meanwhile, the school board continues evaluating options to address the funding gap while keeping educational programs intact.

The decision to potentially seek voter approval in November represents a strategic approach to school funding amid challenging economic conditions and enrollment trends across Michigan's school districts.