Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for a list of frequently asked questions and answers regarding the 2026 Referendum Renewal. These questions and answers provide factual information for residents of Decatur Township to make an informed decision for or against the referendum renewal.

Conservative Fiscal Management

The MSD of Decatur Township School Board of Education and Leadership Team has demonstrated fiscal responsibility in the following ways:

The total budget of the school district is $98,086,975 for 2026.  This represents a $538,565 reduction from the 2025 budget while still providing an average 2% salary increase and $300 stipend to returning staff.  To provide some perspective, the MSD of Decatur Township was the only school district in Marion County that reduced its total budget from 2025 to 2026.

The total budget for the Debt Service Fund is $16,786,975 during 2026.  Notice that approximately 84% is being paid toward the outstanding “mortgage” for the school district, while only 16% is being applied toward interest.  This is important because it means that debt is being effectively structured to minimize its length and interest paid by taxpayers, while maximizing project capacity. 

The graph above shows tax rates for the Debt Service Fund each year since 2021.  Tax rates correlate with how much property owners pay in taxes.  As rates decrease, how much property owners pay in taxes decrease.  The school board has been fiscally responsible by lowering the Debt Service rate to .5734 in 2026, which is a 36.9% decrease since 2021.

The school district waited to renovate the Armstrong Pavilion until bonds from the construction of Blue & Gold Academy, the renovation of West Newton & Stephen Decatur Elementary and the extension of the preschool wing at Lynwood were paid off.

The school board has been fiscally responsible by lowering the Referendum tax rate to .2277, which is a 21.2% decrease since 2022.  In addition, the school district has levied approximately $6.8 million less in property taxes than originally approved to.  In 2026 alone, the school district could have asked for an additional $2 million in tax revenue.

Transportation

Approximately 72% of our students rely on district transportation to get to and from school each day. Reliable transportation is essential to ensuring students arrive safely, on time, and ready to learn. Beyond the school day, our transportation team provides access to opportunities that enrich the student experience, transporting more than 1,100 students each week to co-curricular and extracurricular activities, academic competitions, athletic events, field trips, and other learning experiences. These opportunities help students develop skills, build relationships, explore interests, and stay connected to their school community.

Our buses travel more than 4,500 miles each day across Decatur Township, serving as a critical link between students and the educational opportunities available to them. For many families, district transportation removes barriers that might otherwise prevent participation in programs that support academic success, personal growth, and career readiness. Continued investment in transportation helps ensure that every student, regardless of where they live or their family's transportation resources, has equitable access to the full range of educational experiences our schools provide.

Safety

Safety is a core operational responsibility of MSD of Decatur Township. The district utilizes a comprehensive approach to school safety that includes trained personnel, building security measures, emergency preparedness planning, and partnerships with local public safety agencies. The Decatur Township School Police Department includes school resource officers who serve in schools throughout the district. In addition to their law enforcement responsibilities, these officers provide safety education, support emergency response efforts, and build positive relationships with students and staff.

School safety investments help create learning and working environments where students can focus on their education and staff can focus on instruction and support services. School resource officers often serve as trusted adults for students, helping to address concerns before they escalate and connecting students with appropriate resources when needed. Safety measures also support emergency preparedness, secure facilities, and coordinated responses to potential incidents. Together, these efforts contribute to maintaining schools that are safe, orderly, and conducive to teaching and learning.

Student Well-Being

Student well-being encompasses the social, emotional, behavioral, and non-academic factors that can affect a student's ability to engage in learning and participate fully in school. MSD of Decatur Township employs resource personnel, including Communities in Schools Site Coordinators, who work with students, families, and school staff to address barriers that may impact attendance, behavior, and academic engagement. These professionals help connect students and families with community resources and support services when needs are identified.

Student well-being services may include attendance support, behavioral interventions, mentoring, small-group programming, family outreach, and referrals to community organizations. These supports are designed to help students remain connected to school, access available resources, and navigate challenges that can affect their educational experience. By providing coordinated support systems, the district seeks to create school environments where students have access to the resources and relationships needed to participate in learning and school activities. Such efforts complement academic instruction by helping address factors that can influence student engagement, attendance, and overall school experience.

Maintenance & Utilities

Providing safe, comfortable, and well-maintained learning environments is essential to student success. Since 2021, electricity costs have increased by 19.4% and maintenance costs have increased by 28.7% due to inflation. At the same time, MSD of Decatur Township maintains 20 buildings spanning more than 1.8 million square feet and nearly 377 acres across the district. These facilities serve as the foundation for teaching and learning each day, making ongoing maintenance and utility investments critical to supporting students and staff.

Students learn best in schools that are safe, clean, well-lit, and equipped with reliable heating, cooling, and building systems. To manage costs responsibly, the district has invested in energy-efficient LED lighting throughout its facilities and utilized federal ESSER funding to upgrade building controls, boilers, and chillers for more efficient heating and air conditioning. These improvements help reduce long-term operating expenses while creating learning environments that support student comfort, concentration, attendance, and overall well-being. Continued investment in maintenance and utilities helps ensure that every student has access to high-quality facilities that are conducive to learning and prepared to meet the needs of our growing community.

What Happens if the Referendum Fails?

If the proposed 2026 Referendum Renewal is not approved by voters, the current 2019 Referendum will remain in effect through its expiration date of December 31, 2027. As a result, MSD of Decatur Township would need to reduce its budget by approximately $8 million over the next two years.

Potential adjustments to programs and services may include, but are not limited to:

• Reductions in transportation services.
• Implementation of designated school walk zones where feasible and appropriate.
• Reduction of transportation support for extracurricular activities, including athletics, fine arts, extended-day programs, and student clubs, or the introduction of fees for these services.
• Reductions in support personnel positions.
• District-wide reductions in operational expenditures and other cost-saving measures.