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This article was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.
Three of the five school board seats are up for election in the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township on the southwest side of Marion County.
The new board members will serve through 2030 and steer the district — which last year enrolled roughly 6,500 students — through potential fiscal challenges incurred by the state’s recent property tax reforms. The district recently changed school start times to help offset rising transportation costs, but it still estimates losing $3 million annually from those tax reforms.
Decatur Schools are asking voters for a property tax increase in November, but will be replacing its existing rate with a lower one. If passed, the referendum would be a tax increase from the base amount through 2034.
Who is running and how to vote
Eight candidates — four nonpartisans, three Republicans, and one independent — are vying for three at-large seats, which are filled by voters throughout the entire district.
Early voting begins on Oct. 6. The general election is Nov. 3. Find out how to register to vote in Marion County here, and find polling locations at https://vote.indy.gov/.
Candidate survey responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity.
Randi Berryman, at-large candidate
Randi Berryman, 42, is running as a nonpartisan. She has a child attending kindergarten in the district. Berryman has a bachelor of science degree, and works as a scientist.
Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.
Responsible decision making, data-driven change, positive school culture.
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
The most pressing issue facing our district is underperformance. When I compare our schools to neighboring districts, it’s clear that Decatur Township is falling behind academically. To address this I will take a comprehensive, data-driven approach. I will conduct a thorough budget analysis across all departments and reallocate resources to directly impact students and teachers. I will also review our curriculum against neighboring and top performing schools so we can adopt evidence-based instructional practices.
What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
The district needs to focus on Math, Science, and Language Arts. These are the foundational subject areas where our students underperform compared to state benchmarks and neighboring districts. Strengthening these core subject areas is critical because they form the basis for all future learning. By focusing our resources, professional development, and curriculum improvements in these areas, we can make measurable progress in student achievement and close performance gaps that currently exist.
How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?
Community engagement will be the foundation of my leadership. I believe strongly in creating continuous feedback loops with all parents, teachers, staff, and students because they are the ones who experience the direct impact of our decisions. If parents and teachers are not seeing meaningful improvement, then we are not doing our job. This feedback is essential. Without it there is no way to know whether the changes we implement are truly creating the outcomes we intend.
I plan to hold regular listening sessions, create accessible channels for ongoing input, and report back transparently. Your voice matters. My commitment is to actively listen, thoughtfully respond, and make data informed decisions that reflect the needs and priorities of our community.
Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?
Yes, I support the referendum. Investing in our children’s education is an investment in our community’s future, and adequate funding is essential to providing the resources our students need to succeed.
However, funding alone is not enough. We must also elect leaders who will use those additional dollars wisely, strategically, and transparently. If we don’t have a clear plan for how funds will directly improve students, even increased revenue will not create the impact our district needs. That’s why I’m committed to ensuring every dollar is allocated effectively toward proven programs and competitive teacher salaries that truly support learning.
The district recently changed school start times to reduce costs. As school districts across the state face increasing financial pressure, what other suggestions or ideas do you have on ways that Decatur Township could save money?
While I understand schools are facing financial challenges, I have serious concerns about the recent changes to school start times in Decatur Township schools. Research consistently shows that age-appropriate schedules are critical to student health, development, and academic performance.
Students must come first, even when making tough budget decisions. Cost savings should never come at the expense of what we know is best for kids. That said, I’m committed to finding smarter ways to reduce costs without compromising student outcomes. If elected, I will conduct a comprehensive budget review to identify inefficiencies and compare our spending to districts across the state. I’ll prioritize investments that directly impact the classroom while scrutinizing administrative overhead, vendor contracts, and operational expenses. I’ll also explore what neighboring districts have done to reduce costs. I believe in reviewing the data behind what works, implementing proven strategies, and placing students first.
Teresa A. Burns, at-large candidate
Teresa A. Burns is running as a nonpartisan.
Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Burns did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.
Judith Collins, at-large candidate
Judith Collins is a Republican incumbent who has served on the board for two decades.
Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Collins did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.
Dale Henson, at-large candidate
Dale Henson, 69, is a Republican incumbent who has served on the board for two decades. He is a graduate of Decatur Central High School and the National Fire Academy and does not currently have children attending district schools. He retired as Decatur Township’s fire chief in 2014 after 35 years, and also previously served as the executive director of the Indiana Fire Chiefs Association.
Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.
Maintain a 95% graduation rate or higher. We achieved our highest graduation rate in 2025 of 97.48%. IREAD-3 passing rates meeting state average with a goal of 95% or see proficiency and achieve a 3% increase from previous year. We want to see our scores increase by 3% for Language Arts and Mathematics on our ILEARN assessments.
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
I want us to continue be fiscal responsibility to the community. State funding & legislative decisions that continue to decrease our funding each year. Safety conscious for our students and staff.
How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?
As a current board member have always been open to listen to any community member. I attend many events throughout the year besides our monthly board meetings.
What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
Reading, reading, every student needs to be able to read to be successful as they go through school and as they graduate. This continues to be our top academic focus.
Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?
Yes, I support the referendum. I support because of changes made for funding of schools through legislation. We have seen a 3-million-dollar reduction in 2026 as a result of legislative changes.
The district recently changed school start times to reduce costs. As school districts across the state face increasing financial pressure, what other suggestions or ideas do you have on ways that Decatur Township could save money?
We are always looking at ways to reduce cost across the district and the new school start times is a way we will reduce fuel costs with reduced miles traveled daily. We are the only Marion County School Corporation to reduce our total budget in 2026 by half million dollars.
Steve Jacobi, at-large candidate
Steve Jacobi is running as a nonpartisan.
Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Jacobi did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.
Patrice Johnson, at-large candidate
Patrice Johnson, 36, is running as a nonpartisan and has a daughter who graduated from Decatur Central High School. Her son attends school online. She has a bachelor of science in public health education and works as a community service provider.
See her campaign Facebook page here.
Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.
Transparency, student success, and building a stronger school community.
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
One of the biggest challenges facing our district is rebuilding trust while balancing increasing financial pressures. Families want to understand not only what decisions are being made, but why they are being made.
My approach is to ask questions, listen to all stakeholders, review the data, and make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. I believe school board members should communicate openly with the community, hold the district accountable for measurable results, and ensure every dollar is spent with students as the priority.
How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?
Community engagement shouldn’t begin and end at board meetings. I plan to remain accessible through regular communication, community events, social media, and by encouraging conversations with parents, teachers, students, and taxpayers.
Feedback is an important part of good governance. While no single voice can determine every decision, listening to different perspectives helps identify concerns, improve policies, and make better-informed decisions that reflect the needs of the district as a whole.
What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
I believe we need to continue strengthening foundational academic skills, particularly reading and math, because they impact success in every other subject area. We should regularly evaluate student achievement data, identify where students are struggling, and support evidence-based strategies that help close learning gaps while also challenging students who are ready for advanced coursework.
Academic success should remain our primary mission, and we should continually look for ways to improve outcomes for every student.
Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?
I believe the referendum deserves thoughtful consideration rather than a simple yes or no answer. My responsibility as a board member would be to ensure the community has a clear understanding of why additional funding is being requested, how the money would be spent, what accountability measures would be in place, and what alternatives have been explored.
I support transparency and informed decision making. Taxpayers deserve complete information before being asked to make an important financial decision, and I believe the district should clearly demonstrate responsible stewardship of existing resources alongside any future requests.
The district recently changed school start times to reduce costs. As school districts across the state face increasing financial pressure, what other suggestions or ideas do you have on ways that Decatur Township could save money?
Before asking taxpayers for additional funding, I believe we should continually evaluate opportunities to improve efficiency. Some areas worth exploring include:
* Reviewing operational expenses to identify unnecessary or duplicate spending.
* Evaluating contracts and vendor agreements to ensure the district is receiving the best value.
* Pursuing additional grants and partnerships when appropriate.
* Regularly reviewing programs to ensure resources are aligned with measurable student outcomes.
* Looking for operational efficiencies that reduce costs without negatively impacting classroom instruction.
My priority would always be protecting student learning while ensuring taxpayers can trust that every dollar is being used responsibly.
Chase Lyday, at-large candidate
Chase Lyday, 39, is a Republican incumbent who has served on the board since 2023. He has no children in the district. He graduated from Decatur Central High School and attended Ivy Tech Community College. He previously served as the police chief for Avon Community Schools but resigned in 2022 while under investigation by the Hendricks County prosecutor, who alleged Lyday lied about past disciplinary actions against him. No charges were filed.
Lyday called the allegations against him “patently false” and “baseless.”
“I would encourage anyone evaluating my candidacy to look at the totality of my record, the people I have served alongside, and the impact I have made on students, schools, and my community,” he said. .
Please list your top 3 priorities if elected.
Continue comprehensive approach to school safety, increase literacy test scores in early elementary students, solidify fiscal plans in light of budget deficit created by tax code revisions.
What do you see as the most pressing issue facing your district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
The most pressing issue facing the district is taking care of our teachers and procuring the additional resources necessary to provide students with critical supports like literacy specialists, mental health counselors, school resource officers, and coaches. These services are at risk of being cut if we do not close the gap in funding created by recent legislation.
How will you engage with the community if elected? What role will their feedback have in your decision making?
I love coffee meetings and lunch with community members to discuss needs of the district. I take calls at all hours to be responsive to needs and concerns. My passion is serving and I am confident anyone who has interacted with me in regards to the school district sees that. When a concern arises, I direct that issue to the appropriate administrator and follow up to ensure it has been addressed.
I serve as a representative for the community. Their input is highly valued in how the school district operates.
What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
Literacy is the key to all education. Our early elementary students must pass the IREAD test by 3rd grade to continue on to 4th grade. We have to focus substantial resources on our rsrly elementary students reading at grade level and ensure older students have access to every literacy resource available to be proficient.
Do you support the referendum? Why or why not?
Yes I support the referendum. The referendum is necessary for us to continue providing the quality of education and services like mental health support, school resource officers, and child nutrition workers. These supports are necessary to maintain and improve our ability to provide a high quality education.
The district recently changed school start times to reduce costs. As school districts across the state face increasing financial pressure, what other suggestions or ideas do you have on ways that Decatur Township could save money?
The district has done an excellent job at saving and executing an efficient spending plan. Our team will continue finding ways to eliminate inefficiencies and increase savings. Our focus with finances will be to let our data direct spending decisions and focus on external sources of funding such as grants and local partnerships.
Kristyn Stoddard, at-large candidate
Kristyn Stoddard is running as an independent.
Chalkbeat Indiana attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Stoddard did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.
Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.
