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Kalamazoo-area voters approve renewal of KRESA special education millage

WMUK | By Anna Spidel
Published May 6, 2026 at 12:19 AM EDT
A white and blue sign sits at the left of the image, in the forefront of the picture. The sign reads "Kalamazoo RESA" with smaller text next to that reading "Transforming Futures." The sign sits in a platform of rocks, and encircled by a stone oval. Far back, beyond the green grass lawn sits a brown and white building.
Michael Symonds
/
WMUK
The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency building in Portage.

The vote renews the existing millage for special education in the nine school districts KRESA serves.

Voters in school districts served by the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency approved a millage renewal Tuesday to fund special education for students.

The tax rate works out to 1.5 mills, or $1.50 per $1,000 of taxable property.

As of 12:15 am Wednesday, unofficial results showed the millage proposal passing with over 66% of the vote in Kalamazoo County, where most people served by KRESA live.

The renewal is set to begin in 2027 and is estimated to generate approximately $16.8 million annually in local property tax revenue.

The revenue will support mandated educational programs for students with disabilities in local public schools.

KRESA collects the funds and distributes them.
WMUK News
Anna Spidel
Anna Spidel is a news reporter for WMUK covering general news and housing. Anna hails from Dexter, Michigan and received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University in 2022. She started her public radio career with member station Michigan Public as an assistant producer on Stateside, and later joined KBIA News in Columbia, Missouri as a health reporter. During her time with KBIA, Anna also taught at the University of Missouri School of Journalism as an adjunct instructor and contributed to Midwest regional health reporting collaborative Side Effects Public Media.
See stories by Anna Spidel
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