Voters reject 2 Indiana school funding referenda. Lake Station wins

Three Indiana school corporations asked voters to pass operating referenda in Tuesday's general election. Voters approved the Lake Station Community Schools property-tax levy but voters rejected referenda for Kokomo Community School Corporation and Twin Lakes Community School Corporation.

This was the first time Kokomo and Twin Lakes asked for referenda. As of midnight Tuesday, about 67 percent of voters in each district had rejected the proposed tax increases.

Lake Station asked voters in the 2023 election to extend a referendum initially passed in 2017, but they said no. This year, the corporation reduced the number of in-person school days to save money on transportation. Three days of the week are now remote-learning days.

Lake Station also cut Spanish classes, elementary music classes, middle school and high school electives, and STEM programming for all grades. If the referendum failed a second time, Lake Station Superintendent Tom Cripliver said the corporation would have been forced to make further cuts. Funding from the 2017 referendum runs out on Dec. 31 of this year.

The money from this referendum will allow the district to resume busing students to school five days a week starting Monday, Nov. 11. The district will also reinstate staff members and courses that were cut to save money.

Cripliver said he’s grateful to everyone who voted in favor of the referendum.

“I could not be more proud of our parents and our community for what they did tonight in showing their support for our children and our students and our schools,” he said.

Cripliver said community outreach and education played a large part in garnering “yes” votes. The corporation discussed the referendum on three radio shows ahead of the election, rented billboards, distributed yard signs and answered questions from community members.

“It’s a win for our kids, and I’m just so proud of our community,” he said.

Kirsten is the Indiana Public Broadcasting education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.