Dearborn Public Schools officially launched an informational campaign for a historic $1.51 billion bond proposal that will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
The proposal lays out a 20-year plan to replace or renovate every single school in the district all without raising the overall property tax rate for Dearborn homeowners.
Homeowners in the small portion of Dearborn Heights served by Dearborn Public Schools will see a slight tax increase.
"Small investments produce small results, and Dearborn's kids deserve more than a Band-Aid on a system that needs to be rebuilt," said Superintendent Mike Esseily. "Over the next 20 years, every single school and building in this district will either be replaced or extensively remodeled."
Kathi Martin, president of the Dearborn Federation of Teachers, highlighted how deteriorating facilities directly impact staff and students. She recalled a 5th grade student in a wheelchair who had to transfer schools because a building's elevator remained out of service for nearly a year, as well as recurring pest issues and poor ventilation systems that exacerbate asthma.
"These are not just maintenance issues, they affect the health, safety, and daily experiences of the people inside our schools," Martin said. "Investing in our facilities is investing in student success. This is not about luxury. It is about necessity."
If approved by voters in November, the bond will fund district-wide improvements across all 36 facilities including six brand-new preschool-through-8th-grade campuses and all three traditional high schools — Fordson, Dearborn High, and Edsel Ford — will be preserved and modernized.
School Board Trustee Mary Petlichkoff noted that the plan combines findings from two comprehensive district studies: the Fielding study, which focused on future spatial and educational needs, and the Quinn Evans study, which evaluated structural preservation.
"We believe we have found the right formula," Petlichkoff said. "We can do this with the least impact to our taxes, and still generate the funds needed to build the quality of schools our students deserve now and into the future."
District leaders confirmed that construction will roll out across four distinct phases over 20 years, with public input gathered before each phase to ensure plans adapt to community needs.
