Indiana Coalition for Public Education-Monroe County

"Every year, the Sense of Place project takes on a life of its own, with each new group of students bringing fresh perspectives to what has now become a ten-year tradition. It hadn’t occurred to me until recently that this is the project’s tenth anniversary — and realizing that makes me reflect on just how much Bloomington’s landscape has evolved since the project first began in 2016. Rhino’s Youth Center has been demolished, Switchyard Park now stretches across the site of the old rail yard, The Game Preserve relocated from Fountain Square Mall, the B-Line Trail has expanded, and that oddly charming curbside building on Rogers and Country Club has disappeared, replaced by a gas station.

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is what students take away from the project: the joy of exploring, the habit of wondering, and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to have a sense of place. As in previous years, we began by watching Breaking Away, which sparked bursts of recognition — fingers pointing at the screen and excited conversations about familiar streets and landmarks. We also took a field trip to Lower Cascades Park and a driving tour of Bloomington’s most iconic spots, tracing connections to FDR’s New Deal along the way."

Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship Students Explore, Honor, and Share Their 'Sense of Place' - Limestone Post Magazine For ten years, students in Rachel Bahr’s class at Bloomington’s Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship have documented their “sense of place” in an ongoing series of video and audio recordings. Reflecting on what feels familiar, the students explore their emotional connections to locations ...

Indiana school leaders warn property tax reforms are destabilizing public education budgets • Indiana Capital Chronicle Indiana school officials are warning that the state’s new property tax overhaul is pushing districts into an unprecedented financial squeeze.

📣 New things are happening in 2026 for ICPE Monroe County. This page will go dormant next month as we begin to expand our footprint beyond Monroe County. Here is what you can do to stay in touch:

1. Be sure to follow for all announcements and news.
2. Make sure your membership is up to date so you get the ICPE monthly newsletter.
3. Are you on our local email list? DM us if you don't think you are and we will add you.

Public schools are the ❤ of our communities. Amazing things happen every day in Indiana's public schools! https://www.facebook.com/IndianaCoalitionForPublicEducation

Indiana Coalition for Public Education The vision of the non-partisan Indiana Coalition for Public Education is to advocate for high quality, equitable, well-funded public schools for all children that are subject to democratic oversight by their communities.

Communities bear the burden of bad legislation when it comes to SEA 1.

How does one quantify a $30 million deficit? What will need to be cut to achieve balance?

Note: Other school districts, like Carmel-Clay, projected beyond 2028 (they went to 2031) and the loss due to SEA 1 continued to grow larger each year as net assessed value of properties continued to decline.

https://news.mccsc.edu/2025/11/19/senate-enrolled-act-1-to-reduce-mccsc-funding-by-more-than-30-million-as-corporation-works-toward-financial-balance/

ICPE's commentary in the Indiana Capital Chronicle today. (Link in the first comments)

‘Students First’: What Indiana’s school funding really looks like

Six Hoosier school communities sought to pass referendums in the most recent election. Five succeeded, and one fell short. Yet just a few weeks earlier, postcards went out to constituents all across Indiana in which state representatives touted the 5% increase in K-12 funding last session as the “highest funding level to date for Hoosier students.”

In addition, the postcards claimed that the latest educational results prove that Indiana is leading the way by “putting students first.” To be clear, adding even one penny to last year’s budget would also produce “the highest funding level to date.” While we at the Indiana Coalition for Public Education celebrate the successes of our public schools and the hard work of educators and students, we urge Hoosiers to look beyond the glossy postcard for a fuller picture.

While the highest dollar amount for K-12 education funding may have emerged from last session, it is not the highest level of funding we have seen. Ball State University Economist Michael Hicks has written that currently, when adjusted for inflation, “in K-12 we are spending $100 less per student each year today than in 2010.” Also, in 2024, the Education Data Initiative reported that Indiana ranks 37th of 50 states in education spending per pupil.

Fewer Resources, more subsidies
Alongside the lack of budget support for public schools, bills passed last session are poised to reduce public education funding. A property tax overhaul, SEA1, will cut the revenue that public schools rely upon for transportation, capital projects, and referendums. Another new law will require public school districts to share their property taxes with charter schools — publicly funded, privately run entities — further draining resources. While Indiana struggles to pay teachers a competitive salary during a teacher shortage, these priorities do not add up.

Last session, lawmakers lifted the income cap on Indiana’s largest voucher program, making millionaires and billionaires eligible to receive taxpayer-funded subsidies for their private school tuition payments. More students are now getting a smaller piece of a shrinking education pie. Last school year alone, nearly a half billion dollars went to voucher schools, which legally don’t have to account for where the money goes.

Literacy is foundational to all learning, and early childhood education is foundational to all educational outcomes. Yet, while our legislature gave K-12 vouchers to the wealthiest Hoosier children for their private school tuition, they simultaneously took away vouchers for child care and slashed access to state-funded preschool for many of our most vulnerable kids.

Accountability for public school funding
While we celebrate the progress of Hoosier students and the dedication that got them back to pre-pandemic-level scores on the IREAD test, we should recognize the impact of outside dollars poured into improving reading. Much of the touted gains in literacy were made possible thanks to the $2.9 billion distributed to Indiana by the federal government to help in recovery from the pandemic and learning “loss.” Additionally, students benefited from generous private funds from the Lilly Endowment for literacy. Money does matter.

The aforementioned postcard also highlighted Indiana as ranking third in a Parent Power category by an organization promoting “school choice.” Hoosier parents overwhelmingly choose to send their children to public schools. Parents know the value of strong public schools. It is time for them to use their voices, their power, to ensure that the state funds and supports the public schools every child deserves. It is time to ask why we must vote locally to tax ourselves through referendums when the state fails to meet its constitutional obligation to ensure our public schools have what they need—while opportunity gaps widen for Hoosier kids.

We celebrate the recent rise in test scores, as well as the magic that happens every day in our public schools. Yet, we also look to the future with concern and hope. Public schools are the heart of our communities — places that unite us across all backgrounds, accept all students, and empower our kids to become contributing members of our society. True commitment to “putting students first” means fully investing in our public schools so that every Hoosier child can thrive.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/education/2025/11/11/edgewood-bloomington-north-win-indiana-state-school-music-association-marching-band-finals-class-c-b/87200412007/

Edgewood wins state marching band finals for 4th consecutive year “In sports, you can call time out. Not me, not band,” Edgewood Marching Mustangs director Aaron Wells said of the team's fourth consecutive win.

“Basically, Elon Musk could move to Indiana and all 14 of his children would qualify for a subsidy for their private school tuition,” Fuentes-Rohwer said.

The school choice dilemma: How it affects Monroe County Community Schools MCCSC has faced lower enrollment as a result of Indiana’s school choice scholarship program.

MCCSC is currently eight months into its two-year financial plan. The district is projecting millions in losses as a result of state legislation and lowering student enrollment. Natural attrition and non-classroom position eliminations have prevented teacher layoffs prior to this school year. The next update on the financial plan will be given at the November board meeting.

MCCSC board hears tentative labor agreement, OKs 2026 budget The Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) presented its tentative collective bargaining agreement for 2025-2027 at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the school board. Ratification is expected at the board’s next meeting in about three weeks.

"Six operating referendums will appear on local ballots in Indiana on November 4th. These referendums are exclusively for operating renewals, with no school safety or construction measures included. ICPE supports the passage of every operating referendum.

Why? Indiana is at a critical tipping point. The failure of the state legislature to keep public school funding in line with inflation, combined with the effects of SEA 1, has stretched school budgets and will continue to do so. Despite the fact that the overall K–12 population is shrinking, Indiana is educating over 44,000 more students than before vouchers, and with less money. That increases the financial burden on local taxpayers. Approving an operating referendum is now more important than ever.

When funding falls short, students pay the price: longer bus rides, bigger classes, fewer teachers and support staff, and a shrinking selection of courses and programs. Until the Indiana Statehouse fully funds public schools in Indiana, approving your school’s operating referendum is essential. Share this post with any friends or family members in these six school districts. Raise awareness in your community. Your vote is important. Vote for public education."
Read more at this link.
https://indianacoalitionforpubliced.org/2025/10/30/school-referendums-on-november-2025-ballots/



Team Public Schools!

Avon Community School Corporation
Cannelton City Schools
Duneland School Corporation
Hanover Community Schools
Lake Central School Corporation
Northwest Allen County Schools

🎉📘 Congratulations to science teacher Dr. Kirstin Milks on the publication of her new book, “Place-Based Science Teaching: Connecting Students to Curriculum, Community, and Caring for Our Planet” with co-author Whitney Aragaki. Milks teaches AP Biology and introductory science at Bloomington High School South.

In her book, Milks defines place-based teaching as the practice of students and teachers grounding their learning in the place where they live and love. Milks draws on this concept and her 16 years of teaching experience to share examples of how students learn better through projects with local impact.

Read more at:
https://news.mccsc.edu/2025/10/15/teacher-kirstin-milkss-new-book-offers-innovative-approach-to-engaging-students-in-science-education/