Top Indiana school districts urge lawmakers to stop SB 1, warn of cuts to education
Some of Indiana's wealthiest and highest performing school districts are urging lawmakers to reverse course on a bill that could significantly impact their operations budget.
Last week Hamilton Southeastern School District superintendent Pat Mapes sent an email to parents urging them to reach out to their lawmakers to share how much Senate Bill 1 could hurt the district's property tax revenues and ultimately the services they provide students.
In the email Mapes said the bill, as it is currently amended, could have a significant impact on HSE and other school districts potentially leading to 'fewer academic programs, increased class sizes, and staff reductions – directly affecting the learning experience of our students,' the email said.
SB 1 in its current version aims to limit how much local governments can increase property tax levies each year, which should curtail property tax increases, among other provisions.
More on SB 1: Gov. Mike Braun threatens to not sign property tax relief bill passed by Senate
Mapes also encouraged parents to reach out to their state legislators and 'ask them to find a way to provide tax relief without jeopardizing the future of our schools.'
The district north of Indianapolis is poised to lose around $10.8 million in the next three calendar years if SB 1 is approved as is. HSE would be the district with the second-highest loss under the bill, just behind Fort Wayne Community Schools, which is set to lose $12.6 million in the next three years.
Out of the Top 5 districts at risk of losing the most property tax revenue, three are school districts in Hamilton County, with Carmel Clay School District being the third most with a total loss of $9.4 million and Westfield-Washington School District with a total loss of $7.7 million.
Those school districts are also typically listed as some of the top scorers on the state's standardized testing each year.
Carmel Clay Superintendent Michael Beresford also posted a message to its social media pages on March 14 stating that SB 1, along with the state budget bill House Bill 1001, could impact the district's operations drastically.
'As the final versions of SB 1 & HB 1001 take shape, we want to emphasize how vital appropriate school funding is to maintain the qualify of education in CCS and across the state,' the post said.
More Bills impacting schools: This IPS-charter school bill died in the first half of session. Now it's back.
If SB 1 is approved in its current form, schools across the state are at risk of losing over $370 million in total property tax revenue over the next three years.
However, Gov. Mike Braun has already said that he would not sign the bill in its current form saying it did not go far enough in providing relief to taxpayers as he initially set out to implement.
The bill is awaiting a vote in the House Ways and Means Committee. The legislative session must end April 29.
Keep up with school news: Sign up for Study Hall, IndyStar's free weekly education newsletter.
IndyStar reporter Brittany Carloni contributed to this reporting.
Contact IndyStar K-12 education reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or CBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter (X): @CarolineB_Indy.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: HSE and Carmel schools urge lawmakers to halt SB 1, citing education cuts
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