If the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board chooses to renew or place another tax amount on a funding referendum, it would be in November. The current operating referendum expires at the end of 2023. That referendum generates just under $26 million in annual revenue for HSE Schools.
The board had a number of questions for HSE Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Katy Dowling in a Tuesday morning work session. Most centered on where the money generated by the referendum is spent, such as how much goes to pay administrators.
Dowling did a deep dive into the history of school referenda in Indiana and the HSE 2016 operating referendum. In 2016, the school district said the referendum money would go toward reducing classroom sizes, deal with the pay scale for the teaching staff and improve academic programs. That referendum was also utilized to add assistant principals in elementary buildings.
Dowling encouraged board members to ask her questions and she would provide any data requested by the board.
There is not enough time to place the referendum question on the May primary ballot. The previous board did not act on the referendum, presumably so the new board can make that decision.
Board members made no commitments but indicated a decision would be needed in the coming weeks and months.
In 2016, HSE School District voters approved a referendum adding 22.75 cents to the tax rate, per $100 of assessed property tax valuation. Although voters vote up or down on a referendum, the board decides what amount to request of taxpayers in a referendum.
Since 2010, Republicans have had a supermajority in the Indiana legislature. Coincidentally, since that time funds for public education have been reduced, the power held by the Superintendent of Education has been stripped, and State funds have been transferred from public education to private charter schools (many of which are just for profit, not for education). Now, our local school board is contemplating hamstringing our schools. Unbelievable that our citizens continue to vote for these people.
I am a teacher, democrat and parent of a jr high and high school student. I voted for the new school board. HSE Admin has been unresponsive for years to its staff and parents. Starting with the 3-tier schedule putting elementary first in the morning. They have lined their pocketbooks filling their coffers with YMCA money and filling up after-school daycare with this ridiculous schedule of putting young children in school before 8 AM. No administrator can defend it is in the best interest of huge populations of our children to be in after school care from 1:30-6PM when parents can pickup their young children. HSE gets money for each kids it puts in YMCA daycare.
HIJH has been over capacity for 3 years. That no building referendum in place to build a new intermediate school to address the growth in the fast growing area around HTC is pure negligence. It is time to eliminate the option of a 4-grade building that has severely damaged HIJH to operate as a jr high for so many years after the board promised HIJH would be a 4-grade building for 2 years. There are negative consequences with intermediate students being surrounded by jr high students and the school has no collaboration between teachers and subject areas because the teachers do not have true departments or teammates to share ideas with. Everyone loses with a 4 grade building.