Monday night, the Indiana School Board approved a “Four-Point” budget and deficit reduction plan that will be put in place for the district.
According to the resolution, the district is facing nearly $7 million in projected shortfalls in the 2026-27 budget and that could grow in future years if corrective action is not taken. The four parts of the plan include expenditure reductions of at least $1 million, the pursuit of revenue generation through a variety of efforts, continued advocacy to the state government for fair, adequate and sustainable public education funding, and engaging in good faith collective bargaining with all employee groups. District Superintendent Rob Heinrich said that this will provide a blueprint that the administration will follow.
The board also approved Coral Reef company as the developer for the district’s proposed solar project. It also authorized administration to negotiate a contract that will later be brought back for board approval. The proposed panels for the project would generate over 1000 kilowatt hours and would be located on the roofs of East Pike, Eisenhower, the Junior High and the district’s bus garage. The project would save the district on electric costs by leasing the rooftops to the solar company without using taxpayer dollars.
