In Gas City, the cuts start now.
The small Mississinewa Community School district’s ballot measure to increase property taxes lost by just 71 votes. So starting Monday, the district will cut one of its two school resource officers — and Superintendent Jeremy Fewell expects the cuts to continue from there.
“We need to use as much money as we can to just keep our facilities up to par for the time being,” he said. “There’s no reason to wait going forward. We know these cuts have to happen, so why delay the inevitable at this point in time?”
The district is one of 12 that failed to pass their referendums for more funding in Tuesday’s election, according to unofficial results. Those districts’ leaders must now fill budget holes driven by several factors — including Indiana’s property tax reforms enacted last year that will leave districts with less of a significant source of local funding. There could be a range of consequences, from reduced bus service to school closures.
Student enrollment declines statewide could make such problems worse.
This year was a record year for tax referendums, representing approximately $500 million in annual funding for schools, due to other legislative changes that also restricted referendums to general election years.
Across the state, voters approved tax increases on the ballot in 26 out of 38 school districts placed on the ballot. In the districts where referendums passed, officials are breathing a sigh of relief.
Recounts could be on the way for districts like Mississinewa and Michigan City Area Schools, where the measure failed by 122 votes. But Fewell does not have high hopes that a recount will change the outcome.
Still, the roughly 70% passage rate exceeded expectations for Terry Spradlin of the Indiana School Boards Association. Ballot questions are always harder to pass in November than in May, he noted, and many voters were driven to the polls by cost-of-living issues.
“It’s a clear statement here that Hoosiers understand the value and the importance of public education in their school communities,” he said.
Districts face millions in cuts without referendum funding
To plug about $700,000 of its roughly $2 million deficit, Mississinewa plans to cut transportation for about 1,200 students next year and reduce its preschool program, in addition to eliminating the sole remaining school resource officer next school year.
In the meantime, it will immediately begin charging fees for any groups that use school facilities.
“There’s some people in the community that did not believe that we’re really going to cut those things, they viewed it as fear-mongering or scare tactics,” Fewell said. “Unfortunately, that’s not the case. These cuts are coming.”
Grant County, which includes the Mississinewa district, is among the poorest counties in the state. But districts in wealthier counties didn’t necessarily fare better.
In the state’s wealthiest county, Sheridan Community Schools also lost its referendum. Superintendent Dave Mundy said in an email that the district is analyzing its next steps.
Referendums in Madison County benefitting Anderson and Elwood schools appear to have failed.
On Thursday, approval for Anderson schools’ referendum was trailing by just 82 votes, according to unofficial results. But the district believes it has failed, said Brad Meadows, the district’s director of communications.
The district has anticipated a deficit of $8.25 million in 2028 without the referendum funding.
In a Wednesday statement, Anderson Superintendent Joe Cronk said he was disappointed, but he encouraged staff to “support one another and keep our attention on our kids.”
“There will be difficult decisions, and I do not have all the answers this morning,” Cronk said. “Those decisions deserve careful thought, honest discussion, and a clear understanding of how they affect our students and staff.”
In Elwood, Superintendent Troy Friedersdorf said in a statement that the administration and school board would determine additional reductions that will affect staffing, programs, and services.
“Behind each of those decisions are people we care about and opportunities we want for our children. That weighs heavily on all of us,” the statement said.
Despite wins, leaders still plan to push for more funding
Zionsville Community Schools and West Lafayette School Corporation garnered the most support out of all districts, with passage rates of roughly 69%.
“Community support of the referendum means preserving the funding that ensures continued high quality education for our students,” West Lafayette Superintendent Shawn Greiner said in a statement.
Washington Township schools’ referendum passed overwhelmingly with 67% of the vote. Superintendent Sean Taylor said in a letter to the community that the district would use the resources thoughtfully and support educators “to ensure every child feels connected, challenged, and celebrated.”
Although voters passed a referendum to benefit Indianapolis Public Schools and local charter schools, the district still plans to close schools and enact other cuts to close a lingering $20 million budget hole.
District leaders hope to push the legislature for more funding in the upcoming legislative session.
The Indiana School Boards Association also plans to push the legislature to increase state tuition support, which Spradlin said has not kept up with inflation.
The state’s two-year budget adopted in 2025 increased per-pupil state funding by 2% each year. Spradlin said the group would like to see an annual increase of 6% in the next budget.
“If we’re only getting state funding that’s at around 3%, 2% to 3%, but these costs are far in excess of that number, then we’re not keeping up with just maintaining status quo,” he said.
This article was written by Aleksandra Appleton for Chalkbeat Indiana and Amelia Pak-Harvey for WFYI.
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