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Warsaw Community Schools

Inspiring Dreams, Equipping Lives

School Board Members

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.”

  • 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.”

  • 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.

  • 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.” 


     

  • 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.”

  • 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.”

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 Legislative Priorities

  • The Indiana General Assembly has passed 308 new K-12 education laws over the last eight legislative sessions, or an average of 38.5 new laws per session. This high volume of enacted laws requires significant implementation and compliance efforts, and administrative reporting
    duties. With more than 1,500 pages of state laws and regulations to comply with, this regulatory environment takes the focus away from our “Why” of elevating student achievement outcomes. ISBA wholeheartedly supports continued efforts for regulatory relief beyond HEA 1002-2025 (Public Law 214). We recommend the following statutes be modified or repealed:

    A. Repeal GAAP Accounting Requirements

    Make accrual (GAAP) accounting optional for the school corporations required to use this method of accounting. We believe IC 5-1-11.5-3 should be amended and made optional (change the “shall” to a “may”). Currently, this section requires school corporations with an ADM of more than 15,000 students to prepare an annual financial report using the modified accrual basis of accounting that yields no clear and tangible benefits for most entities. Based on the 2024-2025 school year enrollment data, this provision of law only applied to eight school corporations. According to school officials with Carmel Clay Schools, this requirement has resulted in an average annual cost increase of $100,000 for consultant services and consuming approximately 900 hours of additional work. Fort Wayne Community Schools has indicated a similar experience with staffing time and costs. Those who like this accounting system can continue to use it while eliminating the mandate of duplicate accounting methods and excessive costs.
    B. Provide Local Control on Third-Party Options of SBOA Audits

    ISBA supports giving school corporations more flexibility in contracting with third-party CPA firms or companies to seek lower cost audit options that would satisfy State Board of Accounts audit guidelines. School corporations have documented significant increases in the audit costs charged by the state, or its contracted vendor, in the past few years. Where costs can be optimized at the local level, school corporations should be granted this flexibility, rather than have to comply with a prescribed audit rate set based on federal and state regulations.
    C. Expand Fund Transfer Flexibility for Certain School Districts

    School corporations transferring more than 15% from the Education Fund to the Operations Fund are considered to have transferred an excessive amount and must undergo extensive state reporting and review requirements under IC 20-40-2. ISBA supports the aim to focus on student achievement outcomes, not inputs, at the school corporation level, including school board governance and oversight. ISBA proposes the consideration of the following options concerning interfund transfers of school corporation revenues:
    1) Total deregulation with a repeal of the fund transfer limits established in IC 20-40-2given the existence of teacher compensation goals and requirements.
    2) Full transfer flexibility for performance qualified school corporations (under IC 20-24.2-
    2) or add new criteria for exempt school corporations to include all or some combination of the following components: a) “high performing” academically (A or B rated school corporation); b) Debt Service rate of less than 70 cents per $100/AV; c) meets teacher compensation requirements as set forth in statute; and d) not on the DUAB watchlist.
    3) A 2-year hold harmless for Education Fund to Operations Fund transfers up to 20% through June 30, 2028, for all school corporations unless the school corporation is on the DUAB watchlist or is a D or F school corporation under the school accountability framework (these school corporations would still need to comply with all statutory requirements under IC 20-40-2-9 and IC 20-40-2-10).
    4) Provide for local control of which funds are used to pay salaries, regardless of the position. These changes would help address the significant increases in transportation expenses (school bus pricing and fuel costs) and the fact that almost 80 percent of Operations Fund
    dollars are spent on just the three expenses of transportation, utilities, and insurance.
    D. Repeal of Laws That Restrict Use and Transfer of School Buildings

    Current laws on underutilized and vacant school buildings restrict the authority of school boards to make determinations on the appropriate use and sale of school buildings and require the transfer of these buildings for just $1. The laws impose burdensome reporting requirements on school corporations that include listing all buildings owned by the school corporation, determining the designed occupancy of each building, and assessing the current use and percentage of use of each building for classroom instruction. Additionally, the laws require school corporations to follow complex procedures with specified timelines that include giving notice to multiple entities, providing estimated costs of operating the building, and allowing onsite inspection of the building before being able to sell or lease a school building. Given recent changes in the law on school funding that increase both state and local revenue to charter schools to meet facility needs, school corporations
    should be relieved of these restrictions, and these laws should be repealed.
    E. Add AED Compliance Flexibility

    House Enrolled Act 1515-2025 (Public Law 232) requires that an operational automated external defibrillator (AED) is present at each event in which students have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest. This law has created a substantial unfunded mandate for schools. It has also led to some confusion as is does not define “event.” Secondary schools regularly have multiple “events” happening at any given time. Districts are reporting substantial costs associated with compliance as per unit costs are approximately $2,500. HEA 1515, which took effect on July 1, will be difficult for school corporations to comply with, creating substantial liability exposure should an incident occur. It can be argued that it’s safer to have AEDs in fixed locations at schools/buildings, so there is never a question about where the AEDs are located in case of emergencies. While well intentioned, ISBA supports a modification to the law to allow multiple events in proximaity at one location to share AEDs. Let school corporations decide how many units are needed to optimally fulfill its required venue-specific emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest.
    F. Provide Flexibility in Contracting for School Administrators

    Current laws require school boards to hire administrators by using a regular teacher contract and then provide additional rights to the administrators. This results in administrators having rights both as a teacher and as an administrator and imposes significant burdens on school boards in cases where the board wants to either reassign or terminate the administrator. School boards should be given the flexibility to determine whether an administrator should be hired using the regular teacher contract or some other type of employment agreement.

  • A. Assign Base AV to all Property

    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.
    B. Limit the Percentage of Incremental AV Captured by the Redevelopment

    Commission AMEND IC 36-7-14-39 to require redevelopment commissions to annually distribute 15% of the incremental assessed value to all local taxing units. This is a permissible policy via a “may” provision. ISBA supports changing this provision to “shall.”
    C. School Board Member as a Voting Member

    AMEND IC 36-7-14-6.1 to require the municipal and county executive to appoint a school board member as a voting member of the redevelopment commission. In cases where there is more than one school corporation located within the territory served by the redevelopment commission, the school board member who is appointed shall be recommended by the school corporation that has the largest assessed valuation (gross or net)

  •  

    A. Clarify Senate Enrolled Act 1 on “Cooling Off Period” for General Obligation Bonds

    Language included in Senate Enrolled Act 1 (Public Law 68) regarding general obligation (G.O.) bonds and the new 12-month “cooling off” provision has led to confusion. Implementation guidance issued by the Department of Local Government Financeinterprets the “cooling off” period to apply to not only short-term G.O. bonds issued prior to May 1, 2025, for two years or less, but also for issuances after May 1, 2025, for a period of not more than five years. ISBA supports legislation to change the restrictions to apply to only short-term G.O. bond issuances for two years or less. Longer term bonding is a necessary strategy to address facility repairs, renovations, or new construction needs of
    a school corporation. Restrictions on the issuance of bonds for five years or less will result in less favorable lending terms and rates.
    B. Local Income Option (LIT) for School Corporation

    Senate Enrolled Act 1 (Public Law 68-2025) eliminated redistribution of LIT to school corporations (in former CAGIT counties) resulting in a loss of more than $58 million annually. In total, as a result of all the new property tax reforms and restrictions imposed in SEA 1, school corporations will experience a net reduction of $740 million in levy dollars over three-years (2026-2028). While for many school corporations, the loss of levy dollars is a “decrease to the increase” from what would have been collected. However, for 74 school corporations the loss in property tax dollars will be a true decrease from the 2025 levies received. School corporations already experience tight constraints, largely from circuit breaker/tax cap losses, in Operation Fund levies. As aforementioned, almost 80 percent of the Operations Fund revenues are used for transportation, insurance, and utilities on average for all school corporations. The added constraints imposed by SEA 1 will tighten budgets even more, leaving little funding for facility management needs. ISBA supports either reinstated the mandatory LIT redistribution, or providing school corporations with the authority to impose a Local option Income Tax.
    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.

     

  • Several changes were made to curtail the scope and costs of the On My Way Pre-K Program in the 2025 state legislative session. An enrollment cap was set at 2,500 total children, with a portion reserved for families meeting limited eligibility criteria. In addition, the eligibility
    threshold based on family income is now 140% of the federal poverty level (previously 150%). ISBA calls for not only these restrictions or cuts to be restored, but to increase the program eligibility based on the child’s family household income from 140% to 400% of the federal
    poverty level (which equals the last income criteria set for the Indiana Choice Scholarship Voucher Program before income guidelines were removed to qualify all families in that program). ISBA supports increasing state funding for the On My Way Pre-K grant program to significantly expand opportunities for early childhood learning and supports that meet rigorous PATHS to Quality standards. Early childhood education is foundational to long-term student success. According to 2021 research conducted by the Center for Early Learning at Purdue University, On My Way Pre-K children performed better than comparison children on general school readiness skills, such as identifying shapes, colors and numbers and language and literacy skills in kindergarten. The On My Way Pre-K students also tended to have higher performance on ILEARN English/Language Arts tests than the comparison children in grades 3 and 4. (See study summary at: Student Summary)

     

     

Indiana School Boards Association Legislative Foundational Statements

The Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) is dedicated to improving the quality of public education and school governance throughout the state of Indiana. ISBA recognizes the role of the General Assembly in enacting legislation that impacts public education and is committed to representing the interests of its member school corporations when addressing legislative initiatives. ISBA has adopted the following foundational statements to formalize its position as it advocates on behalf of Indiana school boards, public education, and students on present and future legislation.

Support Exceptional Learning Opportunities for Hoosier Children
The ISBA supports programs and policies to provide exceptional learning opportunities for Hoosier children from Pre-K to Grade 12. Given that approximately 91 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.” ISBA believes that, through local control, school boards 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 school boards must prepare a new generation of students to be college and career ready, helping drive the economic growth and prosperity of the state.

Promote Adequate Funding of Public Schools to Improve Student Outcomes
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. In addition, school corporations require sufficient property tax levy dollars to fund all obligations paid through the Operations Fund. 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 educational and financial matters, including curriculum and health and safety measures for students and employees of school corporations. In addition, the ISBA believes that school boards and local voters should maintain the exclusive authority to make changes to local reorganization plans, including consolidation and disannexation of school corporations. ISBA opposes state mandated consolidation, especially when imposed without public input.

Engage and Involve Families
The ISBA believes that the involvement of all families results in stronger schools and better student outcomes. School boards continually strive to create opportunities for parents, guardians, and caregivers to be heard, including providing avenues to review curricular materials. Parents, guardians, and caregivers should continue to have a process or opportunity for input on educational matters through the classroom teacher, principal, superintendent, and finally the school board. While ultimately, the establishment of student achievement goals and curriculum review and approval rest with the school board, family engagement helps shape goals and educational programming.

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 adequate funding—to implement comprehensive school safety plans informed by a threat assessment and developed in collaboration with law enforcement and public safety agencies. ISBA opposes both funded or unfunded mandates requiring the implementation of specific school safety equipment, devices, or technology. Policies and funding pertaining to school safety should be holistic and should also address 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. 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. The ISBA also supports enhanced teacher training on emerging technology advances impacting the delivery of instruction to students, such as the effective use of e-learning instruction strategies and artificial intelligence.

Seek Rigorous and Consistent Financial and Academic Outcome Measures for All Schools
The 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 schools that receive state funding. 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.

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

Oppose Further Changes to School Board Election Procedures
The ISBA supports maintaining the nonpartisan option for declaration of school board candidacy. Enabling nonpartisan candidates to run for school board office helps ensure options to voters to choose school board members based on their qualifications, experience, and vision for addressing local educational needs, rather than on party affiliation alone. 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 what is best for all children.

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.

Support Career and Technical Education (CTE)
The 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 create career pathways that lead to transferable skills and certifications to foster life-long learning. Policymakers and state agency leaders must 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.

Create Public School Tax Credit Programs
The ISBA supports an income tax credit for charitable contributions to public education foundations comparable to the credit for contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations. 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.

Allow Adequate Time and Support for Implementation of Policy Changes
The ISBA supports giving school corporations sufficient time to implement and assess the impact of the changes being made in the field of education. The constant change in standards, laws, and policies makes it difficult to determine whether the changes are resulting in improved educational environments, opportunities, and/or outcomes for students.