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School Board of Trustees

Board meetings are scheduled on the third Monday of each month at 7:00, with occasional exceptions. Please refer to the posting of yearly board meeting dates for detailed information. Meetings are held in the Boardroom at the Central Office located at 1 Administration Drive, Warsaw, Indiana. The Central Office is adjacent to the Warsaw Community High School and Washington STEM Academy, on State Road 15 South. Changes in location for a meeting are posted and advertised prior to the meeting.

All meetings are open to the public, except executive (closed) sessions which are permitted by state law to discuss only specific topics such as personnel and legal issues. All board decisions are made in public (open) sessions. A link to the Live Stream of the meetings can be found on BoardDocs.

Meet the Board

Click on each board member below to read their bio.

Media requests should be directed to the Chief Communications Officer.

For inquiries, interviews, or official statements, please contact the Communications Office at 574-371-5098

  • WCS is successful when students are prepared with the critical skills necessary to navigate and pursue new challenges, according to School Board member Heather Reichenbach. “If all of our students can form a love for learning and patience for developing their passions while at WCS, they will always be equipped with what they need for wherever life may take them – high school graduation and beyond,” she said. 

    Reichenbach was elected in the fall of 2014 and took her oath of office in January 2015. After graduating from Goshen High School and receiving her B.A. in Social Studies from Bluffton University, Heather taught Social Studies in Iowa. Heather most recently worked as Administrative Assistant to the Principal at Madison Elementary. 

    Heather has lived in Warsaw with her husband, Brian, for over 12 years. He was a Jimmy from Jimtown High School where he played football for Bill Sharpe before heading to undergrad at Bluffton University and then medical school at the University of Iowa. They have two children, Jonah and Claire, who currently attend WCHS and Edgewood Middle School (respectively). Both are Madison Elementary alumni. Go Cardinals! 

    Beyond service to the Warsaw Community Schools Board of Trustees, Reichenbach serves on numerous boards currently including CASA of Kosciusko County and the Warsaw Education Foundation. She also serves on the Legislative Committee of the Indiana School Board Association. In addition to her involvement with K-12 educational priorities, Heather was appointed to serve in higher, post-secondary education as a Trustee on the Bluffton University Board of Trustees. Heather is a member of Tri Kappa and also a member of Eighth Street Mennonite Church, where she has held a variety of leadership positions along with teaching Sunday School. When not in meetings or coordinating family schedules, Heather enjoys running, reading, and playing games with family. 

    Prior to serving on the WCS Board of Trustees, Heather volunteered her time as a community member and parent on Warsaw Community Schools’ Curriculum Committee, Calendar Committee, and Strategic Planning process, along with PTO support. She brings to the board a passion for quality public education which includes: strong teaching and leadership at the building level, effective collaboration and communication between schools and within the community, good decision making that honors all students, employees, and the community. She shares, “There is no doubt in my mind that Warsaw Community Schools is one of our best assets and is key to a thriving future for our community.” 

    Reichenbach says she has learned that serving on School Board requires a steep learning curve and good vision. “Understanding the budget and the different buckets for funding takes a lot of time and diligence. What seems intuitive or practical in business and home budgets, is not always transferrable to the education sector. Sometimes it’s because of legislation, other times it’s because we (WCS) are a continuous presence – never reaching retirement. The Board is entrusted to create and maintain an educational environment that will serve our community for generations to come. There is always activity, planning, making space for new.” 

    Heather is very enthusiastic about the schools’ role in helping students develop their passions by providing diverse curriculum choices and a variety of extra-curricular opportunities. She says, “I am amazed at all WCS has to offer our students.”

  • Tom Westerhof has been in the Warsaw area for most of his life. His parents, Bob and Luyen, settled in the Warsaw area shortly before he turned two. He attended elementary school at Madison, went to Warsaw Middle School, and graduated from Warsaw Community High School. Tom then attended Grace College where he graduated with a double major in criminal justice and psychology. 

    In 1998, Tom married his wife Nicole (Hanna) whose family ties to the area go back to before Kosciusko County was officially a county. Those generations of Hannas that came before them are part of the strong connection Tom feels to the local community. “Nicole’s family has been here for close to two centuries, something we are very proud of. When we tell people we love raising our family here, it’s something her family has been doing for generations. This county has always been home and always will be.” 

    Tom and Nicole are the proud parents of their two children Harper and Hayes. In his free time, he loves spending time with his family, especially going to the kids’ activities and being involved with their lives as much as possible. He also enjoys traveling, working out at CrossFit Haymaker, hanging out with friends, eating at his favorite local restaurants and serving on the boards at two of his favorite non-profits – CASA of Kosciusko County and the Warsaw Education Foundation. 

    Tom decided to run for school board after recognizing the many important decisions that take place that affect his children’s education, the teachers, and the community. Tom stated, “I have two kids currently in the Warsaw school system. I wanted to do more than attend meetings and post on Facebook.” 

    Having spent the last 20 years working in purchasing at Indiana University, Tom believes that experience will help him ensure the corporation’s funds are spent as efficiently as possible, especially on larger projects. His time working for a university also reinforced the importance of keeping a focus on the students. Tom shared, “One thing that we’ve been told at IU is that we are here for the students. That same principle can be applied at Warsaw Schools. If we continue keeping the best interests of the students in mind when making decisions, we can be confident we are continuing down the right path for the school system.” 

  • Matt Deuel is honored to serve on the Warsaw Community Schools (WCS) Board of Trustees for District 6, bringing his passion for education, communication and leadership to WCS. “When my family moved here in 2014, we were blown away by the quality of Warsaw Community Schools. I was privileged to serve on a strategic planning committee a few years ago, where I saw firsthand the clear vision and passionate leadership that drive our schools forward. It was inspiring then, and it continues to be inspiring today as our educators work selflessly through ever-evolving challenges. Our family is grateful for this community, and I am honored to contribute in this role.” 

    Matt graduated high school as a homeschooled student in the north Atlanta suburbs of Georgia. He studied Electronic Communications at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for two years before returning to Atlanta to start his first business. As President of Iris Media Group, Matt and his team served hundreds of clients in the Atlanta area, fulfilling their video production and web development needs. For 15 seasons, he also worked with the Atlanta Hawks video production department, helping produce their games and events. His passion for storytelling and clear, compelling communication has been a driving force in his career. 

    Beyond his work in media, Matt has dedicated much of his life to mentoring and investing in the next generation. He served as a youth pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, GA, and later as the Executive Director of a nonprofit organization that worked with college students. “Seeing the light bulb come on for students as they connect with their personal passions and potential is one of the great joys of my life.” 

    Matt and his wife, Erica, were married in 2004 and have three children—Caleb, Jeremiah, and Reagan—who currently attend Washington STEM Academy and Edgewood Middle School. Erica, a graduate of Kennesaw State University with a degree in Elementary Education, has combined her love for art and teaching through her brand, Spoonful of Imagination. 

    The Deuels moved to Warsaw in 2014 when Matt accepted a position as the Executive Pastor at Mission Point Community Church, where he led the staff team and oversaw production needs. Tapping into Matt’s entrepreneurial and nonprofit experience and Erica’s passion for teaching and art, they opened the Spoonful of Imagination nonprofit art studio in Warsaw in 2017. In 2018, Matt returned to full-time production work with his company, One Voice Media, where he continues to help clients tell their stories through film and video production. He also serves on the board of directors for Agaitas, a Warsaw-based organization that develops leaders through sports. 

    Reflecting on his role with the school board, Matt shares, “Serving on this board has reinforced how complex and vital public education is. Managing a school system is incredibly hard work, but I’m grateful to be part of a team that is committed not to maintaining the status quo, but to striving for excellence. Making long-term investments in the next generation and ensuring that every child receives the care and attention they deserve through their education will pay countless dividends for our community’s future. It’s a privilege to play a role in that process.”

  • Denny and his wife Glenda have been married for forty-three years and have five daughters, who all attended and graduated from Warsaw Community Schools. He is also the proud grandpa of nine grandchildren and one on the way; four of his grandchildren also attend WCS.

    Denny came to the Warsaw area as a Grace College undergraduate student and has since stayed in the area. He has an extensive background as an educator and school leader, which includes teaching at Washington Elementary, serving as assistant principal at Warsaw Community High School, and principal at Atwood Elementary. He eventually retired from WCS after serving as Jefferson Elementary principal for 18 years.

    After retiring, he worked for several years as the Alumni Director and women’s golf coach at Grace College; he is currently working as a real estate agent with the Brian Peterson Real Estate Group. In his free time, Denny enjoys golfing, traveling, and mountain biking, along with spending time with his children and grandchildren.

    Denny has experience serving on several boards within the community. These include United Way of Kosciusko County, Grace Village, Indiana Lakes Federal Credit Union, and the Winona Lake Town Board.

    Denny shared, “I'm excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Warsaw School Board. I invested my entire career in the field of education, my children attended Warsaw Schools, and I have grandchildren currently in the school system. There is nothing I'm more passionate about than the well-being of the children in our community. I truly believe our school system is among the best in the state, and it's a privilege for me to contribute in this way.”

  • Brad is no stranger to Warsaw, with his family first moving to the area in 1975. A Presby graduate, Brad also attended Washington Elementary prior to moving to Texas. Out of sight but not out of mind, the family returned to Warsaw in 1984 just prior to middle school years at Edgewood. Brad was part of the first class to attend the new Freshman High School (now WACC). Brad was also part of the transition and move from the “old” high school (Lakeview) to the present high school during his senior year. Graduating in 1990, he joined the US Navy and was stationed in Orlando, Florida. He attended Nuclear Field Electronics Technician A School and Nuclear Field C school before he was transferred to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center just north of Chicago and attended the Gas Turbine Electronics Technician A school and Hot Plant, graduating a Distinguished Military Graduate. Brad had the honor of being stationed at the Little Creek Naval Station in Little Creek Virginia and served at Assault Craft Unit 4 on the LCACs. Orlando, Florida became home where he worked at Westinghouse Power Generation Business Unit while attending Seminole State College in Sanford Florida after being honorably discharged. Brad finally returned permanently to the Warsaw Indiana area in 1996, residing in the Claypool area since 1998.

    Brad, and his wife Deb, have two children. Mason graduated from WCS in 2018 and currently is a sophomore at Indiana University Bloomington studying Human Biology/Pre-Med. Their daughter, Madison, is currently a junior at WCHS. Deb also has connections to WCS, as a K-3rd grade Special Education Teacher at Harrison Elementary. Starting her career at WCS teaching Special Ed at Edgewood Middle School in 1995, she stayed at home with Mason and Madison after they were born and returned to teaching in 2008. Brad shares, “Upon her return, she had the honor of filling in for Madison’s Kindergarten teacher Deb Hohman as she battled Pancreatic Cancer.” Deb then became an interventionist for WCS until she was hired into her current position at Harrison in 2010.

    Brad keeps a very busy schedule and is employed by the Dilling Group, an operating company of Comfort Systems USA. He serves as the director of a small engineering division within Dilling that provides Process Control Solutions to industries throughout the world. In addition to this work, he is also a proud member of the Pierceton Masonic Lodge, Fort Wayne Scottish Rite, and the American Legion. Brad notes, “Between these activities, visiting our son in Bloomington and keeping up with our daughter who is on the WCHS Swim and the Track and Field teams, we stay very active.”

    Brad shares that he was always drawn to serve in some fashion within the community, “Dan Metzger (who previously held the District 7 seat) had discussed my interest with me several times throughout his tenure at WCS. As the end of his second term approached, I began consulting with him on a more regular basis and started attending the meetings to best get an understanding of the needs and requirements of the position prior to determining it was a good path for me.” Brad decided to run as a candidate for the school board in the fall of 2018 and was elected into office beginning in January 2019.

    Brad believes that WCS should provide the fundamental core curriculum to every student as a priority to ensure that they receive the basic knowledge needed to succeed after they graduate, “I want to ensure that every student has an opportunity to be exposed to a variety of opportunities in science, language and the arts with the ability to pursue specific paths that best align with their future goals. The ability to participate in extracurricular activities and to be mentored by teachers, coaches, and staff that share a common core principle, the best interest of the students.”

    When discussing board work as compared to other experiences Brad readily volunteers, “I have learned a lot after running my own business for more than 12 years. Budgets, methods, and logic are completely different than a private business and most of the public doesn’t quite understand the rules, laws, and boundaries in which a public school is required to operate within. Even being as prepared as I thought I was, I am still learning and adapting to these issues so that I can help make the best decisions possible for my district and the corporation at large.”

    After serving for a while, Brad has found that the budget of the corporation is so extremely structured by the state. “Where funds come from, how they must be applied and how you cannot just look at a shortage in one area and decided you can move a surplus from another area over to fill the gap in the struggling area. How these buckets of funds work and how they must be applied are counterintuitive and it has been an upward battle to comprehend them and then find ways to work within those restrictions to best serve the corporation.” He acknowledges that since these budgets are so restrictively structured, appearances to the general public are very far removed from reality.

    Despite these financial restrictions, Brad notes that in comparison to many schools across Indiana, WCS is something the entire community can be very proud of. “We are blessed with great partners in industry and our community who believe in investing in all of our futures through our children.” He is impressed with the amazing curriculum offerings to the students and an outstanding staff of teachers, aides and support staff. “Our board and leaders believe in a fiscally responsible organization that also ensures that we are investing as much as possible in our staff, facilities and above all, our students.”

  • Randy cites John Dewey’s statement, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself,” as a critical frame of reference for him in his service on the Board. He says, “I want all WCS students to come to school each day to experience a safe and secure education that will enrich and teach them to be continuous life-long learners.” He believes WCS is successful when this “life” is found in our schools.

    A lifelong community member, Randy was first elected in the fall of 2012. He joined the board in January 2013. Growing up in Winona Lake, he attended Jefferson Elementary through his 5th-grade year before his family moved to Little Chapman Lake. He finished his elementary career at Leesburg Elementary.

    In 1977, Randy earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Spring Arbor College (MI) after graduating from WCHS in 1973. Upon being hired by Warsaw Schools to begin his teaching career, he taught for the next nine years in both 4th and 5th grades at McKinley and Lincoln Elementary. Randy shares, “During these years, I earned my Administration/Supervision Master’s degree from Indiana/Purdue in Fort Wayne.” After nine years in the classroom, he began his career in administration as principal of Claypool Elementary. Five years later, he was named Principal of Harrison Elementary School as it opened. Twenty years later, still at Harrison Elementary, Randy retired as Principal thus ending his career with Warsaw Community Schools. For the past eight years, Randy worked at Grace College as Director of Applied Learning.

    Randy has many ways to keep busy. My schedule is full with family time. “My daughter Tiffany and her husband Alex have two children, London and Livia. They live in Carmel. My son Nathan and his wife Krista have two children, Maddox and Nash. They live in Warsaw,” Polston proudly shares. Beyond family time and school board, Randy is also engaged with Warsaw Optimist Breakfast Club, Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission, and serves on the United Way Board. He and his wife attend Warsaw Community Church.

    Randy notes that, “After growing up and attending WCS, returning to teach and serve as a principal and then retiring from Warsaw Schools, I felt that I wanted to give back to all of our schools.” With his 34 years of experience in the district, serving on the School Board seemed a great way to return to WCS.

    During his career, Randy says he always knew that WCS was a school corporation who cared and put children first in all that was done. Now while serving as a Board member, he says, “I am seeing this firsthand.” WCS principals, teachers and support staff put kids first in all they do. “My heart has been touched to see this firsthand in all of our buildings.”

    Randy continues to be impressed “by the servant leadership that is seen by all to come together to enrich the lives of our students and community.”

  • Melissa Kissling believes that every student deserves the opportunity to discover their strengths, pursue their passions, and build a foundation for lifelong success. “I always tell students, ‘I won’t give you the shirt off my back, but I will teach you how to get your own shirt.’ I want them to be self-sufficient and confident in their ability to navigate life beyond the classroom.”

    Melissa joined the WCS Board of Trustees in January 2025, bringing years of experience in education, community service and leadership. She and her husband, Robby, moved to Warsaw in 2000 for his job at Zimmer Biomet. Their children, Jacob (WCHS Class of 2021) and Molly (WCHS Class of 2024), are both Madison and Edgewood alumni. Jacob is currently studying Chinese Studies and Biochemistry at DePauw University, while Molly is pursuing Marketing and Finance at Butler University.

    A graduate of Logansport High School, Melissa earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance (1996) and MBA in Marketing (1999) from Butler University. She worked in commercial banking and as a trainer and recruiter for Chase Bank before stepping into full-time motherhood. Her professional journey later led her to Warsaw Community Schools (WCS), where she served as the College & Career Connections Manager. In that role, she helped expand work-based learning partnerships, secured grants to enhance career and technical education, relaunched the NEW Workshop to expose female students to non-traditional career paths, and helped develop and license the Warsaw Area Career Center (WACC) Cosmetology School.

    Melissa has also been involved in the Warsaw community through leadership roles with Edgewood Parents as Partners in Education (PPE), Tri Kappa, Warsaw Aquatic Club, Presby Preschool and Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church, among others. She has served on multiple district-wide committees, including those focused on calendar planning, homework policies and redesigning school counseling. As a scholarship reviewer for the Kosciusko County Community Foundation and a volunteer judge for Business Professionals of America, she continues to invest in student success beyond WCS.

    Melissa’s passion for education stems from her belief that every student deserves access to resources, guidance and opportunities tailored to their strengths and aspirations. “I am proud of the education my own children received at WCS, and I am equally committed to ensuring that every student—regardless of their background or circumstances—has the support they need to succeed.”

    As a board member, she is particularly focused on increasing student engagement in extracurricular activities, expanding access to mental health and career counseling and recruiting and retaining top-tier educators. She also emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement, ensuring that WCS remains a leader in education by adapting to evolving standards, best practices and technological advancements.

    When she’s not serving the district, Melissa enjoys traveling, baking, reading, solving puzzles and attending family activities. She remains dedicated to making WCS a place where all students and staff feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

DISTRICT MAP

To determine your school of residence, please visit our Transportation page.

To determine which district you live in and who represents you, download and reference the district map (Updated November 2021).

BOARD MEETINGS: ADDITIONAL DETAILS

  • Regular board meetings open to the public and media and are scheduled on the third Monday of each month at 7:00, with occasional exceptions.

    Board work sessions are held on the second Tuesday of each month. Work session topics and locations are determined by the board, and are advertised well in advance.

    Executive sessions, used for discussion of sites, litigation, negotiations, and personnel are closed. No action is ever taken by the board in any executive session.

  • The agenda serves as the framework for transaction of public business. Detailed information is provided by the Superintendent in advance of each meeting. The formal document, noting varied items of business is posted at the WCS Central Office, 1 Administration Drive, Warsaw, on the Warsaw Community Schools' website, and forwarded to media representatives prior to any scheduled session.

    • Business of Citizens Present: When a stakeholder uses the “Citizen Comment and Suggestion Cards” sign-up card (available on the table at the entrance to the meeting site) and submits it to the Board secretary at least five minutes in advance of the start of any Regular meeting, the stakeholder may address the Board for a specified number of minutes. Public Participation is the only time during a Regular meeting when members of the public may speak to the Board.
    • Consent Agenda: This portion of the agenda is voted upon by the Board and contains routine matters related to the day-to-day operation of WCS.
    • Reports: WCS staff members give reports about various topics to the Board that provide information and details.
    • Items from Board Members: Board may address other issues not covered. Action will not be offered at this time.

  • Minutes of Regular and Special sessions include all formal Board motions and formal Board actions. When pertinent to Board action, data may be attached to the Minutes. After being approved by the Board, Minutes become official and are open for inspection by the public. Public can access the minutes during regular business hours (Monday through Friday) at Central Office or by visiting BoardDocs.

COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS

Our Board Expects:

  1. That board members will redirect inquiries from WCS staff members and stakeholders to the superintendent, and the superintendent will keep the board informed of subsequent follow-up.
  2. A regular communication from the superintendent on a monthly basis.
  3. To be notified via email and phone (if necessary) as soon as possible for:
    • School emergency (lockdown, fire, etc.)
    • Student emergency (arrest, injury, death, etc.)
    • Staff emergency (arrest, injury, death, etc.)
    • To receive board documents, via BoardDocs, the Wednesday before the scheduled board meeting.
  4. That all board members will receive the same information:
    • One member's request for additional information results in all members receiving or having the same access to the information.
    • Special communications are done for all board members.
    • That board members will treat each other and staff with respect.
  5. That the superintendent and staff will treat all board members with respect
  6. That reasonable requests for additional information will be satisfied in a timely manner.
  7. No surprises!.

Our Superintendent Expects:

That board members will inform the superintendent when they are visiting the schools.

  1. That requests for additions to the agenda will be received at least seven (7) days before the meeting.
  2. The direction is given when a majority of the board* votes to give direction, or when there is a clear consensus from the board directing the superintendent.
  3. That board members will be respectful toward staff and be respectful of staff's time.
  4. That board members will read all supporting documentation before the board meeting.
  5. That board members will contact Superintendent or Board President with questions about agenda items or supporting materials by noon, Friday, after they receive Board Notes.
  6. No surprises!

 

* Majority is defined as 4 or more board members

Document titled 'School Board Member Code of Ethics' from the Indiana School Boards Association.

Indiana School Boards Association 2024 Legislative Priorities

  • ISBA supports the creation of a new Teacher Retention & Student Support Services Grant Program to address ongoing challenges faced with teacher retention and shortages in critical student support services areas. Dedicated funding for trained health and support service professionals would ease the burden of classroom teachers. The funding will support staff trained and certified in needed areas of student care. This support will lead to higher teacher retention and better student academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. Comprehensive mental and behavioral health services in schools improve students’ ability to learn.

    According to a recent report of the American School Counselors Association, Indiana has the highest student-to-academic counselor ratio of 694:1. The preferred ratio is 250:1. More counselors are needed to help guide high school graduation pathways, including work-based learning, apprenticeship, and internship opportunities for students in the workplace. (Source: Student-to-School-CounselorRatio 2021–2022)

    The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends a ratio of 1 school psychologist per every 500 students. The current ratio in Indiana is 1 to 1,502, approximately 3 times the recommended ratio. (State Shortages Data Dashboard)

    In a joint statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental and behavioral health in October of 2021. This declaration remains in effect and includes several recommendations, including: “Increase implementation and sustainable funding of effective models of school-based mental health care, including clinical strategies and models for payment.” (Source: AAP Declaration). One in five students suffers from a mental health disorder and roughly 80% of children and youth who are in need of mental health services do not receive them. Furthermore, 70–80% of students who do receive mental health services receive them in school.

    This grant proposal was developed and supported during the 2023 budget session of the state legislature by ISBA, IASBO, IAPSS, the Indiana School Counselors Association, and the Indiana Association of School Psychologists. The following unfunded state grant programs addressing student support services would be streamlined into this new grant program: School Intervention and Career Counseling Development Program and Fund (IC 20-20-17); Elementary School Counselors, Social Workers, and School Psychologists Program and Fund (IC 20-20-18); and Grants for Mental Health Counselor Licenses for School Counselors (IC 20-20-18.5). While the essence of the three grant programs to be consolidated under this proposal address real needs of students and staffing needs of school corporations, these grant programs have either never, or not recently, been funded by the state.

    This program would be administered by the Indiana Department of Education with allowable uses of the grant funds to include:

    • Teacher mentor stipends of $1,500 for support of first- and second-year teachers
    • Teacher and support services retention bonuses/stipends (after 3, 5, and 10 years of service when returning to the school in fall semester of next school year)
    • Flexibility to use funds for Teacher Advancement Programs or teacher residency programs to retain highly qualified teachers with higher pay and scheduling flexibility to coach other teachers during the school day
    • Hiring additional support service professionals through use of funds for salary (career coaches, school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, therapists, nurses)
    • Recruitment grants (housing allowance, moving stipend, 1-time hiring bonus, grow-your-own programs, etc.)

  • ISBA supports the suitable and reasonable use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as a fiscal policy tool for community economic development with appropriate guidelines for redevelopment commissions. It is important that the original assessment, whether the property is taxable or not, is used for the calculation of the AV base for a TIF area to ensure all appropriate taxes flow to the respective taxing entities, including schools. If a proposed TIF property is not taxable at the time of the allocation area being established, ISBA proposes that the taxes that would have been paid as pre-developed land be included in the base AV to determine property tax levy distributions to local units of government.

  • A. Clarifying Referendum Tax Rate Information HEA 1271 (Public Law 38-2021) revised the local public question for Controlled Projects, Operations, and school safety referenda of school corporations to include the “estimated average percentage of property tax increase” on residential and business property. This new language replaced the prior long-standing language that provided the proposed property tax rate increase per $100 assessed valuation to the property taxpayer. This new language is ambiguous and could misinform a taxpayer who would pay significantly less, or more, than the average percentage of property tax increase the school corporation will receive. ISBA supports changing the ballot language to include the property tax to be paid annually by voters/residents for an average value (median) residence in that community and what the property tax paid annually would be for a business property per $100,000 of net assessed value.

    B. Adding Capital Referendum (Controlled Project) Net Tax Rate Ballot Language ISBA proposes allowing school corporations to adjust the referendum ballot question to include a net estimated average percentage of property tax increase that the school corporation will receive after deducting any retirement of debt scheduled during the lifespan of an approved referendum. Inclusion of this information on the ballot will provide a more accurate depiction of the long-term cost impact of the proposed referendum on taxpayers/voters.

  • A. Repeal Ineffective Public Hearing Requirements

    i. Mandatory Hearing on Proposed Superintendent The mandatory public hearing on the proposed contract of a (new) superintendent creates a difficult situation for the candidate in terms of the timing of disclosure to their current board and corporation. It makes the process and timing of moving forward with a search for the board losing a superintendent much more difficult if not impossible depending on the time of the year a search is completed. It is also an issue of transparency since it unnecessarily delays an announcement of a new superintendent and often leads to speculation and questions on the part of the community. It delays the process of transitioning to new leadership which could be a hindrance for the board, incoming superintendent, and overall operation of the school corporation.

    ii. Mandatory Hearing on CBA ISBA supports the repeal of the mandatory public hearing before the start of bargaining (IC 20-29-6-1). The public is not a party to the collective bargaining agreement and is not familiar with the bargaining process and/or the subjects of bargaining. Most school boards and superintendents advise that patrons rarely attend or testify at this hearing. The public has the opportunity to give input on the tentative agreement reached by the school board and the teachers' association before the board votes on the agreement. Additionally, the public has access to the bargained agreement since current law requires the agreement to be posted on the school corporation's website.

    B. School Improvement Plans (IC 20-31-5) – REPEAL The annual school improvement plan has become obsolete and should be repealed to focus on student achievement progress illustrated in the new Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed Data Dashboard system. The improvement plans take a considerable amount of time and effort on behalf of the school leadership team and must follow an extensive list of components prescribed by IDOE. Schools do not receive feedback or approval from IDOE after submission. Time invested at the school building level for this perfunctory compliance reporting could be used for more meaningful school improvement activities within schools.

    C. Primetime Program (IC 20-43-9) – REPEAL While once a very meaningful program with significant funds tied to it, the Primetime Program is no longer funded or included in the state’s tuition support formula and, thus, school corporations do not receive monies for this purpose (class size reduction). School corporations are accountable to the stakeholders within their communities regarding desirable class-size ratios.

    D. Streamlined Reporting for School Corporations House Enrolled Act 1638 (Public Law 250-2023) requires the Indiana Department of Education to report to the legislature recommendations for reducing the amount of redundant data schools must report. ISBA will lend support to these recommendations generally speaking to ask the Indiana General Assembly to help streamline excessive data and compliance reporting required by state agencies.

    E. Delay in Hiring New Superintendent Post General Election ISBA believes that school boards should have restored authority to negotiate a contract to hire a new superintendent, without a temporary moratorium following the general election. It would be helpful and efficient for boards to have local control flexibility to move forward the superintendent contract and have their new person in place more easily before a spring semester if a mid-school year hire is necessary to fill a vacancy in the role.

  • A. Curricular Materials ISBA seeks clarification on permissible fees that may be assessed to parents for the delivery of educational services and extracurricular activities for students. With the elimination of the textbook rental fee system and move to state-funded curricular materials reimbursement, some expenses such as consumable materials (lab fees, gym uniforms, workbooks possessed by students, musical instruments, etc.) and co-curricular fees (textbooks, exams/certifications, and college credit) have school boards concerned about significant funding shortfalls. ISBA calls for an explicit list of permissible fees that enable continued charges for these types of expenses.

    B. Open Door Law Pertaining to Committees Following the Public Access Counselor’s recent advisory opinions on public notice requirements for committees created by superintendents or principals, the Open Door Law should be amended to clarify that committees not created by a board need not comply with these requirements.

    C. Stop Arm Violation Fine and Penalty Enforcement Enhanced efforts are needed to enforce school bus stop arm violation penalties and fines to better protect students in school bus zones. Legislation introduced in the 2021 and 2022 sessions proposed that a registered owner of a motor vehicle commits an infraction if the owner's vehicle is used to violate the school bus stop arm law. Passage of this legislation would lessen the burden of proof to identify the driver of the vehicle.

    D. Modify 1% Alternate Diploma Limit Indiana law limits the percentage of students with disabilities who receive an alternate diploma that count toward a high school graduation rate to one percent (1%) of students in a cohort. This limitation unfairly penalizes school corporations with small graduating classes. ISBA supports modifying this requirement to 1 percent or three students, whichever is greater.

2024 Indiana School Boards Association Legislative Foundational Statements

Support Exceptional Learning Opportunities for Hoosier Children The ISBA supports programs and policies to provide exceptional learning opportunities for Hoosier children. Given that approximately 92 percent of all K-12 students attend a public school, the families of more than 1 million students have spoken and have made public schools the “schools of choice.” We believe that through local control, we have created a rich and diverse public education system that provides a multitude of learning environments, programs, and curricular offerings to students. Through these opportunities we prepare a new generation of students to be college and career ready, helping drive the economic growth and prosperity of the state.

Promote Equitable Funding of Public Schools The ISBA supports the funding of public schools that is annually adjusted to keep ahead of inflation and that improves Indiana’s national rankings on per pupil funding and teacher compensation. This allows local boards of education to support the ongoing improvement in the quality of public education and ensure adequate resources to address the learning needs of all children. ISBA supports the equitable funding of public schools, recognizing that schools may need additional funding to educate economically disadvantaged students and students with unique educational needs.

Empower School Board Authority The ISBA supports empowering local boards of education with the authority to govern the educational and financial matters, including health and safety measures, for students and employees of school corporations. In addition, the ISBA supports maintaining the authority to make changes to local reorganization plans, including consolidation and disannexation of school corporations, with school boards and the voters who reside within the particular school corporations affected.

Engage and Involve Families The ISBA believes that family involvement results in stronger schools and better student outcomes. School boards continually strive to create opportunities for parents and stakeholders to be heard, including through participation on local curriculum review and development committees. Parents/stakeholders should continue to have a process or opportunity for input through the classroom teacher, principal, superintendent, and finally the school board. Ultimately, the establishment of student achievement goals and curriculum review and approval rest with the school board, who are elected or appointed representatives of the school community.

Maintain Safe and Supportive Classrooms The ISBA believes that every child deserves a safe and secure learning environment. ISBA supports local control―with state support, broad policy, and appropriate funding―to implement comprehensive school safety plans informed by a threat assessment and developed in collaboration with local law enforcement and public safety agencies. ISBA opposes funded or unfunded mandates for implementation of specific school safety equipment, devices, or technology. Policies and funding pertaining to school safety should be holistic and include addressing the social and emotional needs of students and staff, including resources for guidance counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and mental health therapists to support student and staff wellness.

Promote High-Quality Teachers and School Leaders The ISBA believes that effective educational achievement outcomes depend on a high-quality teacher and administrator workforce. We support legislation that respects and values the teaching profession vital to the success of public schools. We support state policies and laws that enable “teachers to teach” without burdensome regulation or policies that diminish or demean the profession. ISBA seeks support for teacher recruitment strategies that both address critical shortage areas and attract a pipeline of diverse teacher candidates into the classroom, such as promising “Grow Your Own” partnerships between schools and postsecondary institutions and state pre-service teacher scholarship programs to attract more minority teachers to better reflect Indiana’s student population. ISBA is a proponent of initiatives that improve the retention of excellent educators, including enhanced support for mentoring and leadership development.

Support Professional Development The ISBA supports professional development opportunities that provide dedicated time for training and mentoring that enhance and elevate the teaching profession. We support state funding for professional development and in-service programs. ISBA also supports enhanced teacher training on e-learning instruction strategies that reflect best practice and proven methodologies to engage students in a virtual environment.

Seek Rigorous and Consistent Financial and Academic Outcome Measures for All Schools ISBA believes that the best approach to tracking the academic progress and effectiveness of our schools is through public transparency and availability of multiple academic outcome measures. The metrics used to grade school corporations and individual schools should be transparent and easy to understand. ISBA supports the use of multiple measures in the GPS Data Dashboard to judge the quality of schools to reduce the over-reliance on summative assessment scores.

Regardless of which metrics are used to judge the quality of schools, all schools (public, public charter, and private) receiving state tuition support dollars should adhere to the same academic and financial accountability metrics. The public has a right to expect transparency and compliance with the public notice requirements, record keeping and audits needed for financial accountability, and access to public records from all state-funded schools. Whether an audit is conducted by the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) or by a contracted accounting firm, all audits should be submitted to the SBOA and made publicly available through the state’s Gateway system. In addition, any school or school system receiving state tuition support should post an annual budget accessible to the public and have a public hearing on the budget before adoption. Dollars flowing to each school system type should be itemized separately in the state budget. Taxpayers deserve full transparency regarding how their tax dollars are spent on these programs.

ISBA recognizes and commends the efforts of public schools to fulfill the unique constitutional duty to educate every child.

Maintain Nonpartisan School Boards The ISBA supports the continuation of the election and/or appointment of school board members on a nonpartisan basis. Nonpartisan elections help ensure that voters choose school board members based on their qualifications, experience, and vision for addressing local educational needs, instead of their party label. School board members are entrusted with deciding what is in the best interest of students in their community. The focus of a school board member should remain on the child. Introducing political party affiliation may cause school boards to feel conflicted with where their allegiances and priorities lie.

Protect School Calendar/Instructional Time The ISBA supports the legislative mandate to conduct a minimum of 180 student instructional days and believes the local governing body should retain the authority to determine the school calendar. The ISBA supports giving increased flexibility to school boards to determine the length of the instructional day for professional development and student achievement benefits. The ISBA supports the flexibility to use virtual instruction when deemed appropriate by school officials.

Support Career and Technical Education (CTE) ISBA believes career and technical education (CTE) should enable students to complete a postsecondary credential during high school or move toward gainful employment upon graduation. All students should have the opportunity to engage in career exploration with support from highly qualified and professionally trained educators and through access to meaningful work-based learning, internships, or modern youth apprenticeships. Secondary CTE courses should expand focus from filling short-term needs of business and industry that are entry-level and low-wage basic jobs to creating career pathways that lead to transferable skills and certifications to foster life-long learning. Policymakers and state agency leaders should support fiscal and administrative policies to incentivize cooperation between school corporations and employers, as well as to help with the purchase of new equipment, curricular resources and materials, the cost of all credentialing exams, and student transportation.

Expand K-12 Tax Credit Programs The ISBA supports an income tax credit for charitable contributions to public education foundations. In addition, ISBA supports a tax deduction for parents of public school students for educational expenses, including educational materials not paid for by the school corporation through the state curricular materials reimbursement fund.