Indianapolis school leaders are turning to budget cuts even after most Marion County school referendums passed on Tuesday. Ballot questions in Beech Grove, Indianapolis, and Washington and Wayne townships won majority support, while Decatur Township's request failed by nearly 7 percentage points.
Indianapolis Public Schools' referendum passed with 63 percent of the vote. For the first time, IPS will share referendum money with charter schools on a per-student basis, with nearly 60 charter schools expected to split an estimated $48.5 million a year over four years and IPS expected to collect about $46.4 million a year.
IPS had already promised $20 million in budget cuts while campaigning for the increase. Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said in a Nov. 4 video statement that administrators will bring school closure recommendations this month, with any consolidation needing school board approval and possibly taking effect for the 2027-28 school year. She did not name schools under consideration.
In Decatur Township, officials say they will plan $8 million in cuts after voters rejected a referendum rate that was 2 cents lower than the current rate. The measure would have brought in up to $9 million a year. Superintendent Scott Collins told families the board will review spending in the coming months and identify staffing and programming to cut, aiming for reductions by 2028.
Beech Grove's question passed with 59 percent, Washington Township's renewal passed with nearly 67 percent, and Wayne Township's measure to return to a 70-cent rate passed with more than 53 percent, according to preliminary results reported by Mirror Indy.
