Silver Creek School Corporation regrouping after voters reject tax referendum
The school corporation says 3 of its 4 buildings are still overcrowded and will need to continue finding temporary solutions
The school corporation says 3 of its 4 buildings are still overcrowded and will need to continue finding temporary solutions
The school corporation says 3 of its 4 buildings are still overcrowded and will need to continue finding temporary solutions
Silver Creek School Corporation is facing challenges after a tax referendum aimed at securing $63 million in funding was overwhelmingly rejected by 94% of voters.
The funds were intended to address overcrowding issues across the district, but with the defeat, the district is now regrouping to find alternative solutions.
Superintendent Chad Briggs explained the immediate steps being taken to alleviate overcrowding.
"Those four classrooms this summer, we're planning to move those four classrooms to the elementary," said Briggs.
He emphasized that while the referendum would have provided long-term stability, the district must now focus on short-term adjustments. "Had it passed and we were able to go through with it, it would have set us up for years to come," he said.
Overcrowding remains a significant concern, with the primary school exceeding capacity by 110 students, the elementary school by 68, and the middle school by 160. The newly renovated high school is better equipped to handle the influx, but has had to limit admissions to students living within the district.
School Board President Chris Rountree highlighted the board's ongoing efforts to manage the situation.
"We'll continue to monitor that number and we will continue to make sure that we have the right ratio per grade," said Rountree.
Parents are voicing concerns about the impact of overcrowding on their children's education. Heather Corrick, a parent, stressed the importance of maintaining a low teacher-to-student ratio.
"Teacher to student ratio is big. You want to make sure that you're getting the quality of education," she said.
Another parent, Jeremy Elkins, echoed worries about the strain on current resources. "There is a concern there of, you know, overpopulated what's already here," he said.
The referendum proposed a 44% increase in the education portion of property taxes, a burden many voters found too steep. Rountree acknowledged the community's financial concerns.
"When you see your assessed value go up, which makes your taxes go up tremendously, then adding this on top of it made it a little even more tougher," he said.
Despite the setback, Superintendent Briggs assured that the quality of education would remain unchanged, though space constraints will persist.
"The downside now, as of today, is, you know, as we move forward, the cost to do anything is only going to escalate," he said.
The district continues to navigate these challenges, balancing the need for quality education with the realities of limited funding and growing enrollment.