Voters renew Avon Community School Corporation’s funding referendum

INDIANAPOLIS — An unofficial report from the Hendricks County Voter Registration Office indicates Avon Community School Corporation’s funding referendum has been renewed.

A special election was held Tuesday night to allow voters to consider whether or not they want to renew ACSC’s operating referendum. This was the exact question voters answered during Tuesday’s election:

Shall Avon Community School Corporation continue to impose increased property taxes paid to the school corporation by homeowners and businesses for eight (8) years immediately following the holding of the referendum for the purpose of providing funding to maintain reduced class sizes, maintain competitive compensation to attract and retain teaching staff, and maintain instructional supports and opportunities for students, while changing the previously approved maximum rate from $0.35 to $0.33?

The county’s voter registration office indicates about 7,735 of the 42,681 people eligible to vote on the issue cast ballots. That’s about an 18% voter turnout.

About 64.5% of those who did cast a ballot on the issue voted to renew ACSC’s referendum, which was first approved in 2018.

ACSC’s website indicates the additional funding generated by the referendum has allowed the district to shrink its class sizes, increase teacher pay and offer more support programs to students.

In the leadup to Tuesday’s vote, ACSC created a webpage dedicated to demonstrating the impact referendum funding has had on its schools. Information on that webpage indicates that district would’ve had to reduce its workforce and increase its class sizes had the referendum not been renewed.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘Avon Schools needs to learn to live within its means,” ACSC Superintendent Scott Wyndham said in a video posted on the webpage. “The sad reality is that, until the state legislature changes the way public schools are funded, communities have to rise up to cover the gap. This is how our legislators have set up school funding since 2010. We simply cannot provide the education our students deserve and our community expects without this continued investment.”

Senate Enrolled Act 1, in part, set the backdrop for Tuesday night’s vote. The legislation was designed to reduce Hoosiers’ property tax bills and cap yearly property tax increases at 1% in 2027 and 2% in 2028.

The money SEA 1 puts back in Hoosiers’ pockets is money lost for state-funded entities like fire departments. Public schools are among the state-funded entities hit the hardest by SEA 1.

Previous reporting indicates Indiana’s public schools could lose up to $750 million in funding through 2028 under SEA 1. Referendums like the one passed in Avon help school districts acquire additional funding from taxpayers that isn’t mandated by the state.

Local municipalities have been allowed to pass referendums to generate additional revenue from taxpayers since 2010. Referendums can’t exceed eight years in length, therefore, voters most cast ballots to renew them as they did in Avon Tuesday night.

The tax rate on Avon’s original referendum was 24 cents. The rate on ballots on Tuesday was 33 cents. The rate increase, according to ACSC’s website helps account for inflation and SEA 1’s impacts.

“I am thrilled to tell you that Avon-Washington Township voters have once again rallied around our 11,000 students and 1,600 employees by voting YES for the renewal of our 2018 Operating Referendum,” Wyndham said during a video posted to ACSC’s website. “That means that the funding that has been in place since 2018 will continue for the next eight years. We will be able to keep class sizes small, and our students will continue to receive the individualized support they need.

“We will continue to recruit and retain excellent educators. Because of our community’s decision, students will have the same enriching extra-curricular opportunities and supports they’ve enjoyed for the last seven years. On behalf of our staff and students, I want to say thank you. This vote of confidence from our community is a reminder that their hard work is recognized and valued. As we said throughout the referendum campaign: Strong community. Strong schools.”

To read Wyndham’s full statement, click here.