{"id":76220,"date":"2025-09-04T15:29:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T19:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fhps.net\/?page_id=76220"},"modified":"2025-09-08T12:24:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T16:24:24","slug":"2025-enhancement-millage-proposal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.fhps.net\/departments\/business-office\/2025-enhancement-millage-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Kent ISD Regional Enhancement Millage Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Election date: Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\"Enhancement<\/p>\n

Background Information<\/h2>\n

Voters in Kent County will consider renewing a millage on November 4 that has generated millions of dollars across 20 public school districts in the Kent Intermediate School District<\/a> over the past eight years. At a summer Kent ISD<\/a> school board meeting, the KISD board unanimously approved putting on the November ballot a proposal to restore and renew the 0.9 regional enhancement millage, originally passed in 2017. If approved by voters, the renewed 10-year millage would take effect in the 2027-28 school year and is projected to generate approximately $35.6 million, or $357 per student, for public school districts and charter schools within the taxable boundaries of Kent ISD, which includes Forest Hills Public Schools.<\/p>\n

\"Enhancement<\/p>\n

Executive Summary<\/h2>\n

In 2017, voters approved the Kent ISD<\/a> Enhancement Millage of 0.9 mills that now supports our local public schools and student programs such as college readiness and grade-school reading. With the current millage set to expire at the end of 2026, an enhancement proposal is once again on the ballot. The enhancement proposal would restore and renew the 0.9 millage for another 10 years. Due to the Headlee Amendment, the millage rate was reduced to 0.8498 mills. The proposal restores the 0.0502 and renews the full 0.9 mills. If approved, this will generate an estimated $35.6 million \u2013 approximately $357 per student\u2013 benefitting all public schools, as well as charter schools, within the Kent ISD.<\/p>\n

The November 2025 election is the most optimal timing for this restore and renew millage because of the upcoming expiration of the current millage, as well as several districts with local millages on the ballot.<\/p>\n

\"ENHANCEMENT<\/p>\n

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<\/span>What is an Intermediate School District?<\/div>
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An Intermediate School District is structured as a separate educational unit to provide various administrative and instructional services to area schools. Kent ISD serves the broader Kent community and helps schools prepare nearly 120,000 students for school and life success. Some of the services they provide include early childhood services, career technical education, and oversight for special education services. They also assist schools with student auditing and accounting, and provide professional development for educators and school staff.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

<\/span>What is the enhancement millage?<\/div>
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Since 2017, Forest Hills Public Schools has used the taxpayer-approved enhancement millage to attract and retain superior K-12 teaching staff. <\/span>This enhancement millage proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot would renew 0.8498 mill, first approved in 2017, which is set to expire in the 2026-2027 school year. It also restores 0.0502 mill that was reduced as required by state law, allowing a total of 0.9 mill to be levied for another 10 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

The millage rate is 0.9, the same millage rate voters approved in 2017. If approved, this proposal generates an estimated $35.6 million\u2014approximately $357 per student.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

<\/span>How is an enhancement millage different from a bond issue?<\/div>
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An enhancement millage would be an additional local contribution to school operations that would support programs and services for kids. A bond issue is a mechanism for individual school districts to raise capital funds for technology hardware, facility improvements (such as roofs and parking lots), and equipment replacement (such as boilers and water heaters).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

<\/span>Why put this on the November 2025 ballot?<\/div>
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The Kent Intermediate School District decided that the November 2025 election is the best time to ask taxpayers within the boundaries of KISD to consider restoring and renewing the enhancement millage.<\/p>\n