Indiana voters will make critical decisions about school funding and board members in the upcoming election season. New laws allow school board candidates to run under partisan labels and change how districts seek property tax referendums.
Partisan Labels
This year, school board races in Indiana will no longer be nonpartisan, and candidates can declare a party affiliation. Of 1,044 school board candidates, 524 have chosen a party affiliation, with 72% running as Republicans, 6% as Democrats, and 7% as independents.
Candidates can also choose to remain nonpartisan or label themselves independent. Panelists discussed the potential impact of partisan labels on school board elections, noting that party affiliation may not be a clear indicator of a candidate’s views on education issues.
Referendums
Indiana districts can ask voters to raise property taxes to fund schools. Around three dozen districts plan to seek property tax referendums in the fall, with the final number expected to be around 55. Districts are grappling with rising costs, including insurance, transportation, and utilities, and are seeking referendums to maintain current funding levels.
Panelists emphasized the importance of transparency in how referendum dollars are spent. They suggested that districts should be clear about their spending plans and provide accountability to voters.
Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.
