Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.
Indiana voters across the state showed support for giving their school districts the green light to use millions of dollars in property tax revenue to hire and retain teachers and fund programs and transportation.
Unofficial election results on Wednesday showed voters largely in support of property tax referendums in seven of the 11 districts that placed one on the ballot. Fort Wayne schools, along with three school districts in Hamilton County, saw strong support for their referendums. Monroe County schools’ referendum led Wednesday by just 108 votes.
Meanwhile, three districts in Lake County, including the School City of Hammond, saw the opposite results from their voters. By Wednesday, Lake Station schools’ referendum was down by only 14 votes.
Property tax referendums have long been a cornerstone of school funding in the state, but local revenue is especially important now as the federal emergency funding that has supported schools throughout COVID begins to sunset. Due to a change in state law this year, certain districts like the School City of Hammond will also need to share any property tax revenue with charter schools.
Indiana allows districts to ask local residents for three kinds of referendums: construction referendums for renovation and building projects; operating referendums for staff, programs, and services; and safety referendums, the newest type of ballot measure that allows schools to make security improvements and hire school resource officers.
This year, 11 districts sought approval from voters for new referendums or renewals of previous referendums. Below are the unofficial results according to the Indiana Election Division website.
Operating referendums
Carmel-Clay Schools, Hamilton County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 67.8% yes and 32.3% no.
Rate: $0.19 per $100 of assessed property value for eight years (renewal)
Annual revenue: $24 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $23 million dedicated to retaining and attracting teachers and staff
Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Hamilton County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 70.1% yes and 29.9% no.
Rate: $0.1995 per $100 of assessed property value for eight years (renewal at a decreased rate)
Annual revenue: $24 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $9 million for attracting and retaining teachers and $5.9 million for maintaining class sizes
Lake Station Community School Corp., Lake County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 49.3% yes and 50.7% no.
Rate: $0.54 per $100 of assessed value for eight years (renewal)
Annual revenue: $1.3 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $466,000 for school bus transportation
Monroe County Community School Corp., Monroe County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 50.5% yes and 49.5% no.
Rate: $0.085 per $100 of assessed value for eight years
Annual revenue: $8.5 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $6 million for funding low-cost preschool, $1.25 million for eliminating K-12 student fees
Northeast Dubois County School Corp., Dubois County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 60.6% yes and 39.4% no.
Rate: $0.18 per $100 of assessed value for eight years (renewal)
Annual revenue: $703,000
Highlights from the spending plan: $390,000 for academic programming
School City of Hammond, Lake County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 28.7% yes and 71.3% no.
Rate: $0.44 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years (renewal)
Annual revenue: $14.6 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $4.8 million for school bus transportation
School City of Whiting, Lake County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 39.8% yes and 60.2% no.
Rate: $0.17 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years
Annual revenue: $1.1 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $418,000 staff recruitment
West Lafayette Community Schools, Tippecanoe County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 80.5% yes and 19.5% no.
Rate: $0.37 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years (renewal)
Annual revenue: $7 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $4.4 million for teacher and staff compensation for managing class sizes
Sheridan Community School Corp., Boone & Hamilton Counties
With 91% of precincts reporting in Hamilton County, the vote is 81.8% yes and 18.2% no in Hamilton County.
With 91% of precincts reporting in Boone County, the vote is 77.5% yes and 22.5% no.
Rate: $0.25 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years (renewal)
Annual revenue: $1.3 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $896,000 for retaining and attracting teachers and staff
Safety referendums
Bluffton Harrison MSD, Wells County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 42.2% yes and 57.8% no.
Rate: $0.075 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years
Annual revenue: $445,000
Highlights from the spending plan: $254,000 for additional school resource officers
Fort Wayne Community School Corporation, Allen County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 53.3% yes and 46.7% no.
Rate: $0.10 cents per $100 of assessed value for eight years
Annual revenue: $12 million
Highlights from the spending plan: $4 million for student advocates
Construction referendums
School City of Hammond, Lake County
With 91% of precincts reporting, the vote is 23.7% yes and 76.3% no.
Rate: $0.4357 per $100 of assessed value for eight years
Revenue: $84 million over 25 years
Highlights from the spending plan: Renovations and additions at Hammond Central High School and Morton High School
Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.
