Avon, Warren Voters Approve School Funding Referenda

Voters approved two Indianapolis-area school referenda on Tuesday’s primary ballot worth a total of $116 million.

School leaders at Avon Schools in Hendricks County and Warren Township in Marion County say the new taxpayer funds will allow them to hire more teachers, raise pay, create academic programs.

Avon Community Schools will have an extra $9.5 million a year for the next eight years from a 35-cent increase on property taxes for or every $100 of assessed valuation.

Warren Township Community Schools will receive $5 million each year for the next eight years from a 21-cent increase.

The results were based on preliminary tallies from Hendricks and Marion counties' election officials. Statewide, all 11 referenda for construction and school operations passed.

The win for Avon shows a change of heart for voters who defeated a 2011 referendum by a large margin. Avon Superintendent Maggie Hoernemann says after that loss, the district carried out "ruthless" budget cutting to become highly efficient. The community, she says, responded to that this spring. 

"Thank you for realizing public education needs funding beyond what the state can provide," she says. "I am not denigrating or criticizing the state. For the last six of the eight years, (state funding for schools) did not keep pace with inflation." 

Avon schools will use funds to target class sizes to no more than 25 students for grades 1-8 and 22 students for kindergarten. The district plans to hire dozens of teachers and staff across all grades. 

Hoernemann says 50 new jobs will be posted Wednesday morning because of the referendum passage.

Warren Township plans to use the new funds to improve safety and security, examples access to STEM programs, increase teacher pay and create online courses.

Warren Superintendent Dena Cushenberry says she's thankful the community agreed with the need to pay teachers more.

"More than anything, in Warren Township, we are the community center for our students," she says. "What this referendum will do, is allow us to extend our transportation before and after school so they can participate in more activities. And we know when they participate - they have less time to get in trouble."

Since 2008, state law requires voters to approve whether to give more funding to public school districts above and beyond property tax caps. School corporations can request a referendum for capital projects or general funds, to cover teacher pay, academic programs or transportation.