With election and voting season, not only will votes be casted for our new president here in the next few months, but also for the nine school districts within Monroe County for renewal of the county’s millage for education with technology.

The technology millage has been around for a while, and gives money to the district for our students’ education with technology. Since the year of 1997, the district has received about $14 million. We receive about $1.5 to $1.7 million a year, all according to David Payne, director of Monroe Public Schools’ technology. According to Dr. Steve McNew, that averages out to about $266.39 a student.

The renewal gives us a five-year plan in which 25 percent of the money goes towards network infrastructure, an additional 25 percent goes towards support staff, and then the remaining 50 percent will go towards computer applications, computers, iPads, printers, etc. Requests come from the teachers as to where the money will go, also according to Payne.

The election will be held on Tuesday, May 3. Polling places will be open and available from seven a.m. to eight p.m.

Funds for all school districts will be distributed amongst the schools depending on student population, meaning the more students there are within the schools, the more money the district will receive. The Monroe County Intermediate School District will distribute these funds to the nine school districts within 10 working days.

“iPads for everybody and all the students would be nice,” said health teacher Chris Clark.

Sophomore student Mahmud Bakr agrees, “I think it’d be cool if we all got personal iPads.”