File photo BCSC Director of Operations Brett Boezeman
A survey will go out in just under a week that will check the temperature for what the community thinks about renewing BCSC’s 2020 operating referendum.
Just over 61% of Bartholomew County voters in June 2020 approved a property tax referendum for BCSC, with the resulting funds going towards recruitment and retaining staff and safety and security.
The 2020 referendum allowed the district to impose an additional property tax rate not exceeding $0.1560 on each $100 of assessed value, which were collected beginning in 2021 and will be through 2028.
The impact of the referendum has already borne out quantitatively, with the district improving graduation rates, state assessment scores of young readers and teacher retention numbers.
The referendum is expected to bring in about $10.5 million in 2026, with $9.3 million of that going towards teachers salaries and $750,000 for security personnel in the district’s new school security officers (SSOs). The remaining $500,000 is earmarked for buses, among other items, according to Brett Boezeman, assistant superintendent for finance and operations.
BCSC outlines six goals for the current operating referendum, and keeps track of annual targets. Those can be found at bcscschools.org/referendum-2020 under “Referendum Performance Goals and Targets.”
Those goals include teacher retention, student mental health, safety and wellness, updating the bus fleet, adding bus drivers and expanding STEM lab student experiences.
The potential attempt at renewal comes against the backdrop of last legislative sessions’ Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 1, which will ultimately result in lower operating revenue for public schools in Indiana into the future and increases how much of that funding must be shared with charter schools.
On Jan. 12, a survey will be mailed out and made available online to gauge interest in renewing the referendum, which will inform the administration’s recommendation to the board about moving forward. BCSC did not survey the public in the lead-up to the 2020 referendum vote.
Recent changes by state lawmakers restrict referendums to only even-numbered general elections. That means the referendum could be on ballots in November 2026 or November 2028, but school board members must first pass a resolution stating the board is in support of pursuing a referendum renewal and approving the question that would be on the ballot.
Indiana allows districts to place a renewal referendum on the ballot before the original levy expires, which can be voted on within the last two years of a referendum period. With the change to even-numbered general elections, voter turnout will be significantly higher as is usually the case in comparison to a primary.
The survey will seek input on renewing the referendum at a lower levy than is currently in place, but also gauge support for other community priorities, including early childhood education, as a means to get a wider scope.
“We believe, at least at the early onset, that we can continue to provide great teachers and safe schools at a lower levy than we are currently,” Boezeman said.
Superintendent Chad Phillips summed it up by saying the district believes it can provide the same impact with a levy of about 10% less.
The survey will be distributed to all residents within BCSC’s boundaries. People can participate electronically or via mail-in.
The survey will be comprised of three sections, including one with basic demographic information; another to check support for renewing the referendum at a lower levy; and the third to see the community’s willingness to invest in other areas.
If the board were to move forward with the renewal and it was ultimately approved by voters, it would replace the existing referendum. If the renewal was denied by voters in November 2026, the school board and district could still pursue a renewal once more in November 2028.
Administrators presented the following timeline for the survey and referendum renewal:
- Jan. 12: Survey goes out to the public
- Feb. 2: Deadline to respond to the survey
- March 2: Survey results are presented to the school board
- May/June 2026: Board considers moving forward with putting referendum on ballot in November 2026
BCSC officials said they are opting to consider moving forward with the renewal now because of the budgetary uncertainty that would result in 2029 if they simply wait until November 2028.
The district has enlisted Wisconsin-based School Perceptions, a third party research organization, to help with the survey. School Perceptions came recommended to BCSC by Brown County Community Schools, which had an operating referendum attempt fail in November 2022 before enlisting the firm. Brown County Community School’s next attempt at a referendum in May 2024 passed.
School board members Whittney Loyd, District 3, and Tom Glick, District 5, have been working on a committee regarding the survey’s development since the beginning of October.
Loyd said she had been impressed with School Perceptions, telling other school board members that “they are being very thoughtful about taxpayers and I think they are going to help us better connect with the community and get some helpful information.”
Glick said School Perceptions had been flexible and made themselves available for all of the questions he has had.
School board member Logan Schulz, District 6, was concerned about the potential cost to taxpayers of a referendum renewal and the survey being worded in a way that would render support that it would not receive worded a different way.
“When I’m in the grocery store…the biggest thing I always hear (is), ‘My taxes are going up, and it’s always schools,’” Schulz said, noting that “we’re all hearing anecdotal information, probably based on our circles and where we’re at.”
Jason Major, District 1, wanted more information about the potential cost, saying that he’s “been told by politicians at every level in this county, the old mantra of ‘no new taxes’ is there.”
“If you want the answer without giving the cost, it’s like going to the store and saying, ‘Need to buy bread for the sandwich. You know you need to buy bread for the sandwich,’” Major said. “How much are you going to spend on the bread? That’s the big question.”
BCSC officials said if the school board opts to pursue the renewal, there will be plenty of material available to make voters aware of cost impacts before they head to the ballot box.
If the school board pursues the renewal, the district will have in place a property tax calculator to tabulate the cost impact on property owners, as was the case in 2020.
Operating referendum renewals went before five Indiana communities in 2025: Avon Community School Corp., Cannelton City School Corp., Duneland School Corp., Hanover School Corp. and Lake Central School Corp. They all passed. Northwest Allen Community Schools pursued a new operating referendum, which failed.
Those interested can watch the matter discussed via the YouTube video of Monday’s school board meeting from 1:02:30 to 1:24:54.
