2020 Referenda Review

13. WHY IS WT REVIEWING A MAY 2020 REFERENDA?

As we review future needs for WT schools, there are additional staff and facility needs that will require referenda support. If there were a way to fund the District’s additional staffing and renovation needs, the District would not go to our school community asking for them to consider approving future referendums. Unfortunately, the small annual increase we see in funding from the State is not adequate to meet our student’s needs for additional support staff and there is truly no other way to fund significant capital improvements without a referendum decided by voters.

Implications If We Don’t Address Future Needs

WHAT IF FUTURE STAFF AND FACILITY NEEDS FOR WT SCHOOLS ARE NOT ADDRESSED WITH FUTURE REFERENDA?

Impact to schools without future staff needs addressed:

√ Unable to add additional School Police Officers to our schools

√ We will reduce our teaching staff by 50 teachers within 2 years which will significantly increase class sizes

√ We will not be able to recruit and retain outstanding staff

√ Bus routes will be longer

√ We will eliminate after school transportation for athletics, co-curricular activities, and field trips

√ We will need to eliminate all social worker positions from our schools within 2 years

√ College prep programs and course offerings will be reduced

√ Our students will not have access to additional social, emotional and behavior support

√ We will need to eliminate elementary technology teachers

√ Unable to update facilities that are not accessible to those with physical disabilities (Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance)

√ No funding for additional security upgrades

√ Dilapidated athletic facilities resulting in unsafe conditions, canceled competitions, inability to host tournaments and inability to attract coaches and retain athletes

√ Continued costs to taxpayers for “band-aid” solutions to major building infrastructure problems

√ Elementary school playgrounds that lack the latest upgrades for safety

√ Spiraling utility costs will be passed on to taxpayers

√ Unsafe conditions relative to traffic flow at school sites

√ Unable to expand program space needed for preschool, alternative education, career center and adult education

√ Loss of outstanding staff due to poor work environments

√ Loss of students and families due to poor educational and athletic facilities Impact to schools without future facility needs addressed

Dolores Anderson, Resident

“Washington Township has been a leader in education in Indianapolis as long as I can remember. My children started school in Washington Township, so I have always been a supporter of Washington Schools. Washington Township provides a great opportunity and quality education for any student to participate in.” ~Dolores Anderson, Resident