Speedway schools ask voters to continue tax referendum for 3rd time

The School Town of Speedway is asking voters to approve a property tax referendum in the Tuesday primary election that was first passed in 2010 and renewed in 2016. If it succeeds, the levy will generate up to $5.8 million annually for the next eight years to help fund teacher and administrative salaries and building maintenance. 

The Speedway Schools district, on the northwest side of Indianapolis, serves roughly 1,850 students across the entire district. 

The referendum 

If approved, the local property tax levy for the capitol referendum would be no more than $0.59 per $100 of assessed value for eight years. Speedway residents overwhelmingly approved this rate by 86 percent of voters in 2010 and 90 percent of voters in 2016. 

Superintendent Kyle Trebly said if the referendum does not pass, the district would have to let go about 25 percent of its staff, roughly 31 employees. He said that would essentially mean closing about one and a half of the district’s four elementary facilities.

“We hope we don't have to go down that road, but we would have to make significant cuts in our staffing,” Trebley said. “Which would in turn, we would probably have to go away from our focus on neighborhood schools. So basically consolidate within and then cut our staff.”

Trebley is not aware of organized opposition to the referendum, and he’s been holding discussions with community members. But he is worried some voters may misread the ballot question about the levy.

In 2021, lawmakers approved legislation requiring ballot questions to include percentages about a school's average property tax revenue. Some superintendents have been concerned the new ballot language could make residents believe the proposed referendum would increase the tax rate, rather than renew it. 

Trebley, in a video to voters, described the language as misleading and confusing. 

Where the money goes

If the referendum passes, Speedway school leaders plan to use the new revenue, and about $661,000 in other tax revenue, to fund more than a dozen areas, including: 

• $1,660,455: maintenance of buildings 
• $1,284,083: regular instruction 
• $861,117: student support 
• $659,560: special instruction 
• $377,034: school administration 
• $287,725: instruction support 
• $204,350: remediation 

Roughly 41 percent of the district’s students are White, about 28 percent are Black and nearly 19 percent are Hispanic. Fifty-three percent qualify for free and reduced lunch, the national standard for childhood poverty in schools. 

Contact WFYI education reporter Elizabeth Gabriel at egabriel@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @_elizabethgabs.