Voters approved the MCCSC Family-Centered 2023 referendum!

View the press release here. 

MCCSC is considering a referendum in November 2023 that would remove barriers to students and families so they can fully participate in their educational experience.

Making public school affordable for families with children from ages 3 through high school seniors will improve the lives of families, students and community members. We are currently gathering feedback from our community and working together to finalize a plan. Check back often as this page will be updated with additional information soon.

Read more about the Family-Centered, Community-Focused Proposal here.

Overview

MCCSC has placed on the November 7 ballot an operations referendum to finance unfunded needs. These include affordable early childhood education, instructional materials, and access to technology and testing fees. Creating this access supports the school corporation’s equity goal of removing barriers so that all students and families may fully participate in the highest quality educational experience.

MCCSC, having conducted an opinion survey and conducted community engagement sessions, believes that making public school affordable for families with children from Pre-K through high school seniors will improve the lives of families, students and community members.

Educational and Family Need

In short: Students and families face financial barriers to education 

• Insufficient preschool space in the community and high costs limit student opportunity to improve kindergarten readiness.
• The cost to families of such items as instructional supplies and AP tests similarly limits student educational opportunities
• These barriers, particularly burdensome for lower-income families, would be diminished or eliminated through this initiative

In detail: Currently, fewer than half of 3- and 4-year-olds in the MCCSC community are enrolled in preschool programs. Primary barriers are cost - up to $8,500 annually for a quality PreK program - and a shortage of available slots.

Expanding early childhood opportunities matters because the importance and benefits of quality education are well documented and include:

• A child’s brain develops faster from birth to age 4 or 5 than at any other time.
• Access to high-quality education bolsters future learning, social skills, and overall health.
• Children in high-quality Pre-K programs show accelerated gains in language and math kindergarten readiness.
• Children who participate in high-quality preschool programs are 40% less likely to drop out of school.
• Early learning programs narrow the equity gap by opening doors for lower-income families. 

Economic Need: Family & Business Community

In short: A lack of affordable and quality PreK programming limits families’ earning power and deprives employers of needed talent

• Data indicate that expanded early childhood education programs give more parents the option and opportunity of working outside the home.
• Monroe County employers identify expanded early childhood education as a key to making workplace talent available and making the community more attractive to prospective employers.

In detail: In addition to meeting unfunded needs for families, the Family-Centered & Community-Focused initiative offers economic benefits for the MCCSC community. While quality early childhood services do exist now, expanding these services in an affordable way would open additional employment options for parents of preschool-age children. This, in turn, could boost family incomes, provide additional talent for local employers and attract new employers to Monroe County, as evidenced by these relevant statistics:

Among parents of students in Indiana’s Pre-K pilot program

• 50% were able to increase work hours
• 35% were able to find new employment
• 33% were able to begin their own schooling

According to the Bloomington 2021 Census, individuals with children under 6 years old had a labor participation rate of only 74.4%, compared to an 83.6% rate for individuals with children ranging in age from 6 to 17 years.

In short: The Family-Centered & Community-Focused initiative eliminates financial barriers for students at all grade levels, with many families annually receiving benefits worth several thousand dollars.

• The plan offers free or affordable, high-quality PreK for all 3- and 4-year-olds in the community. 
• For students at all grade levels, the plan promotes equity by covering costs on items ranging from instructional supplies to AP and CTE test and certification fees.

In detail: The November 7 ballot question seeks voters’ approval for raising MCCSC’s current referendum tax rate (18.5 cents per $100 assessed valuation) by 8.5 cents.

If approved, the referendum will finance expanded services, primarily early childhood education. The school corporation would provide for all families:

• Free Pre-K for 3-year-olds whose families meet free/reduced lunch guidelines, for an annual cost of $2.5 million.

• Free or reduced-cost 4-year-old Pre-K, for an annual cost of $3.5 million.

• District-paid instructional materials, testing fees and student technology devices, for an annual cost of $1.25 million.

• Career and technical education tuition and fees, for an annual cost of $1.25 million.

MCCSC assembled and prioritized this list of benefits by identifying currently unfunded needs, especially those that have a disproportionate negative impact on families with lower incomes. By providing rich educational experiences for pre-kindergarten children in Monroe County, this plan would increase ready-to-learn rates and improve life-long educational outcomes. By fully funding instructional materials, exam and career fees, and supply costs, the Family-Centered & Community-Focused initiative would remove financial barriers to education for all students and families.

The plan is consistent with the school corporation’s published goal of increased funding from local sources through community-approved initiatives - particularly in areas that advance equity and cover needs that have not been funded by the state legislature.

In short: The ballot question asks voters to approve an 8.5 cent increase in MCCSC’s current referendum rate of 18.5 cents.

• Even with this increase, MCCSC’s tax rate would remain among the lowest of Indiana public school rates.
• While officially 8.5 cents, the actual impact would be closer to 3.5 cents.
• Many families would realize several thousand dollars in annual benefits for an annual cost of about $50.

In detail: The November 7 ballot question seeks voters’ approval for raising MCCSC’s current referendum tax rate (18.5 cents per $100 assessed valuation) by 8.5 cents.

For a home with an assessed value of $250,000, an 8.5-cent increase in the referendum tax rate (which is currently 18.5 cents) translates to an approximate yearly increase of $50. For perspective, this is roughly the cost of three pizzas over the course of a year or one fountain soft drink per week.

While it is difficult to calculate this precisely, the actual impact of this rate increase will be closer to 3.5 cents. This is due to tax caps imposed by state legislation on levy funds and in consideration of property value growth in Monroe County.

Due to increasing assessed valuation (AV) and sound financial management, MCCSC has one of the lowest overall tax rates of any school district in Indiana. Currently, MCCSC is in the lowest 10% of all taxing rates for Indiana districts. The average total tax rate for a school district in Indiana is $1.058. By contrast, MCCSC’s current rate is 69.45 cents, or only about 70% of the average rate. If voters approve the Family-Centered & Community-Focused initiative in November, MCCSC’s tax rate will remain among the lowest in Indiana.

In short: After identifying unfunded needs, MCCSC sought community through a survey, advisory committee and consultation with business leaders and early childhood educators

• MCCSC commissioned a scientific survey indicating support for the initiative.
• School officials solicited input from existing PreK providers and talked with business leaders
• MCCSC conducted 3 sessions with an advisory committee that helped shape the referendum level and ballot question.

In detail: Among MCCSC’s discussed and published Goals & Priorities for 2021 through 2025 is a funding goal of “Increasing funding from local sources through community approved initiatives.” In November 2022, voters supported this goal in a vital way by approving an operating fund referendum of 18.5 cents. This served an essential twofold purpose of:

1) funding programming that otherwise would have been at risk as the 2016 operating fund referendum expired at the end of 2022, and

2) allowing the school corporation to significantly boost salaries and wages for all staff, making MCCSC more competitive in attracting and retaining the kind of staff on which the district’s high-quality education relies.

MCCSC is always taking inventory of the learning opportunities it offers, particularly in relation to equity objectives, which include removing financial barriers for students and families. After listening to families and local employers and realizing that state legislators would not be fully funding early childhood education, the school corporation took several steps, with a Family-Centered & Community-Focused initiative in mind.

The district:

• conducted a community survey, which indicated a high level of satisfaction with MCCSC and 73% support for an operating increase at the level of $50 annually.
• met with existing early childhood education providers, discussing existing options for families and ways in which MCCSC and providers might work together to expand the availability of quality PreK,
• spoke informally with business leaders who expressed concern about the ways in which limited early childhood education limits the availability of talent needed to operate existing businesses and attract new employers,
• convened an advisory committee of key stakeholders, who – over three sessions – delved into the current situation and the district’s plan. These stakeholders reached a consensus of informed support for an 8.5 cent operating referendum, and
• additional input through a well-attended community meeting.

How MCCSC funded early childhood education and school supplies increases equity in educational opportunities. - Dr. Jeff Hauswald, Former Superintendent

By any measure, Monroe County Community School Corporation is an exceptional district.

Statistics and rankings tell part of the story: Quality education at great value. MCCSC student growth, student proficiency and graduation rates all exceed state averages. Our graduation rate of 92.6 percent surpasses the statewide average. Experts who scrutinize and rank school districts take notice - well beyond south central Indiana. Niche, a nationwide education rating agency, ranks MCCSC 12th among Indiana’s 291 public school districts.

As for value? MCCSC is among the lowest 10% of all taxing rates among all Indiana school districts.

Our schools owe their success to a supportive Board of School Trustees, dedicated staff and - so importantly - a community that values public education. You’ve seen “I Heart MCCSC” signs and T-shirts and stickers throughout the community. It’s not an empty slogan. In a 2023 community survey, 80% of respondents gave MCCSC an A or B grade. The national average for this question is only 54%.

In addition, community members have buttressed that support with their votes and financial investment. Our residents know that strong schools contribute to a strong community. They understand that quality schools foster economic growth and boost property values. They see how equity in education benefits marginalized families. Three times in 13 years, the community has approved referendums:

• In 2010, after the State Legislature slashed public school funding, residents approved an operating levy that allowed the district to restore teaching positions, strengthen programs and replenish an operating balance. 

• In 2016, voters renewed the 2010 operating levy, which otherwise would have expired.

• In 2022, voters renewed the 2016 levy at a level comparable to the 2010 rate when factoring in inflation. In addition to renewing program commitments dating to 2010, this allowed MCCSC to ensure high quality staffing through competitive pay.

For all of its many strengths, MCCSC knows that no district can afford to stand still or rest on its laurels in a rapidly changing and competitive environment. Unfunded needs remain - in part because the Indiana State Legislature continues to give lip service to helping public schools while failing to deliver in meaningful ways.

By listening to families and local employers and by surveying community members, MCCSC knows that the community will benefit if we address currently unfunded services, such as:

• Early childhood education, particularly for 3- and 4-year-olds

• Textbooks, the cost of which disproportionately burdens lower-income families.

• Instructional supplies, the cost of which again disproportionately affects lower-income families.

• Computers.

• AP exams and professional certificates that lower the cost of post-secondary education and give our graduates a head start on their next chapters.

Together, these constitute a family-centered community focus that we’re asking the community to support.

The case for high quality early childhood education is so compelling. A child’s brain develops faster from birth to age 4 or 5 than any other time, and early childhood education aids that development. Children enrolled in high quality Pre-K programs show accelerated gains in ELA (language) and math kindergarten readiness. Access to high quality education bolsters future learning, social skills and overall health. Children who participate in high-quality preschool programs are 40 percent less likely to drop out of school. Early learning programs help close the equity gap among students from low-income families. 

Unfortunately, fewer than half of 3- and 4-year-olds in our community are now enrolled in preschool programs. The barriers? Cost and a shortage of available slots. While quality early childhood services do exist, the need for expansion is clear. Quality programs can cost up to $8,000 annually, putting these benefits out of reach for many families.

Consider, too, the related family financial benefit for families and the community economic advantages of expanding early childhood education. Again, numbers help tell the story. Among parents of students in Indiana’s Pre-K pilot program:

• 50% were able to increase work hours

• 35% were able to find new employment

• 33% were able to begin their own schooling

According to the Bloomington 2021 Census, individuals with children under 6 years old had a labor participation rate of only 74.4%, compared to an 83.6% rate for individuals with children ranging in age from 6 to 17 years.

Knowing that MCCSC could benefit the entire community by offering an initiative built around early childhood education, we took several steps:

• conducting a community survey

• meeting with existing early childhood education providers

• convening an advisory committee of key stakeholders and inviting additional community input

From this process, we found consensus support for a family-centered, community-focused initiative that we will take to voters in November. This initiative, with associated annual cost, consists of:

• Free Pre-K for 3-year-olds whose families meet free/reduced lunch guidelines, for an annual cost of $2.5 million.

• Free or reduced-cost 4-year-old Pre-K, for an annual cost of $3.5 million.

• District-paid instructional materials, testing fees and student technology devices, for an annual cost of $1.25 million.

• Career and technical education tuition and fees, for an annual cost of $1.25 million.

The cost for all of this on a home with a $250,000 assessed value is $50 a year. While residents might naturally prefer no increases, a $50 hike – for perspective – is roughly the cost of three pizzas over the course of a year or one fountain soft drink per week.

As for the returns on this investment? They are immense. Consider a family with a 3-year-old and a high school sophomore. For a $50 annual property tax increase, this family would, for their 3-year-old, gain access to child care valued at $8,000 and instructional resources valued at $150. For their high school students, they would receive $450 worth of instructional resources and testing certification fees. For the $50 annual investment, this family would save $8,550. 

All of this can be achieved by boosting our current referendum tax rate of $0.185 by $0.085 - to a total of $0.27. This scenario drew the support of a majority of residents in a phone survey this year. And while our ballot question will cite an $0.085 increase, the actual net impact would be only about $0.0325, because of our community’s increasing assessed valuation, combined with the State Legislature’s imposed limit on levy increases.

A community whose belief in the power of quality public education now has an opportunity to demonstrate that support once more: In ways that aid the local economy as well as families with school-aged children and will positively shape the lives of our youngest children throughout their lives.    

Dr. Jeff Hauswald, Former Superintendent of the Monroe County Community School Corporation