Bartholomew Con School Corp official explains operating referenda, cites district gains from 2020 vote

Brett Bozeman, assistant superintendent of finance and operations at Bartholomew Con School Corp, outlined how operating referenda work in Indiana and described outcomes the district attributes to a 2020 referendum. "Operating referenda are questions placed on the ballot asking taxpayers to pay additional property taxes to fund specific operations of a school corporation," Bozeman said.

Bozeman said operating referenda exist because state funding follows enrollment while property tax caps limit local revenue. He cited a 2008 Indiana law that introduced property tax caps, often called the "circuit breaker," and said those caps reduce the amount school corporations — and other local taxing entities — can collect. "As net assessed value fluctuates in a community, that impacts the funding a school corporation ... receive[s]," he said.

Explaining how the dollars are used, Bozeman said referendum revenue goes "directly to specific costs of running a school corporation, not buildings, not bond payments." He listed common uses as staff salaries, student programs and services intended to help students "achieve their best every day." He added that districts must calculate and disclose the tax impact to property owners; the tax effect is based on net assessed value and varies for homeowners, renters and businesses.

Bozeman described the six objectives BCSC set when it put an operating referendum on the ballot in 2020: increase teacher retention; expand student mental health services; increase school safety; replace buses older than 12 years; fully staff transportation; and provide engaging STEM opportunities. "The 2020 referendum has achieved all of those goals," he said, and attributed specific district data to the measure: BCSC now retains 94% of its teachers, the graduation rate has increased by 6%, and early literacy scores have improved by more than 10%. He also said 92% of students report being grateful for programs that keep them connected and involved.

Bozeman framed a yes vote as a community commitment to funding schools: "They're saying that the children in their neighborhoods ... deserve a full, rich educational experience, and they're saying that they are willing to invest in that future together." He pointed viewers to bcschools.org for details, including the district's referendum information page and contact options for further questions.

The district official placed the referendum discussion in the larger research context, summarizing decades of studies that link adequate and stable school funding to higher graduation rates, increased postsecondary enrollment and stronger long-term earnings. He emphasized that BCSC's referendum dollars are intended for "great teachers and safe schools," not to replace state revenue lost to enrollment drops or policy changes.

Bozeman closed by encouraging voter engagement and offering district contacts for more information.