Retiring Dearborn Public Schools Communication Director David Mustonen (right) looks at boilers at Oakman Elementary School with Shawn Donohue, assistant supervisor of plant operations, as the district seeks a $1.51 billion bond in November for new schools, infrastructure upgrades and major renovations.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Dearborn Public Schools will ask voters in November to approve a $1.51 billion bond to build six new schools and remodel every other district school during the next 20 years.
The bond would be a zero mill increase for Dearborn homeowners as the district waives its operating milage and a city combined sewer overflow millage expires, Interim Director of Communications Katie Hetrick said.
The Board of Education approved the Nov. 3 ballot language during its June 22 meeting.
Interim Supt. Lamis Srour said passage of the bond would be “transformational.”
“It will change how Dearborn Public Schools look and how we serve students for generations to come,” she said.
The ballot wording will ask for a 3.14 mill increase, but Dearborn homeowners won’t see an increase because Dearborn Public Schools will stop collecting its 2.18 operating millage if the bond passes, and the city of Dearborn combined sewer overflow project that levied a 0.96 debt millage is expiring.
The work financed by the bond would occur in four waves over 20 years.
The six new schools would be neighborhood schools serving preschool through eighth grade.
All of the other schools would undergo major remodeling. Even the schools not slated for remodeling during the first wave would see major improvements to roofs, secured vestibules, upgraded restrooms, traffic flow improvements and improved athletic facilities during the initial years of the bond.
Every school in the district would be air conditioned by the end of the bond period. The elementary schools would have more room to accommodate the state’s expansion of free preschool. In addition, all schools would have more space to accommodate career and technical education classrooms and STEAM learning labs.
STEAM refers to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education.
Even with the new learning spaces, the district will have 100,000 fewer square feet of building space to maintain by the project’s conclusion.
The Board of Education has committed to gathering community input and incorporating it into the final design plans.
Dearborn Public Schools passed its last successful bond in 2013, and has the lowest school debt tax rate in Wayne County.
Incoming Supt. Mike Esseily said the bond will go far beyond basic school repairs.
“Voters have a chance to approve a measure that would fundamentally change our community, creating vibrant new or like-new learning spaces ready to help students thrive for generations to come,” he said.
For more information, go to dearbornschools.org/2026-transformational-bond.