By HiLite Staff

It is widely known that one of Carmel’s greatest features is its school system. Year after year, the Carmel Clay School District continually tops the charts in terms of student achievement. Our ISTEP+, SAT, ACT and AP test scores are, if not the highest, some of the best in the state. The success of our students reflects a community that truly values education. It also reflects countless hours of dedication from our teachers, most of whom are overworked and underpaid.

But those high scores and excellent programs are in jeopardy. In light of reduced state funding for education, increased fixed costs and rising enrollments, during the Tuesday election, Carmel Clay Schools seeks a $12 million tax referendum that will allow it to keep elective programs in place, and to protect class sizes and property values.

It is clear the city of Carmel values education. In order to maintain the high standards that our students deserve and that we as a community have come to expect, it is imperative that all eligible voters vote yes to this much-needed referendum.

Carmel Clay Schools has seven tax-supported funds that make up its budget. The largest of these funds, the general fund, is funded through the state government and comprises 63.3 percent of our district’s budget. Two years ago, Indiana changed the way it funds education by reducing the amount of tax dollars put towards the general fund. This change, coupled with the economic recession, led to an announcement in January by the state government that Carmel Clay Schools would lose $3.8 million each year. That means each month, the system will receive $317,000 less from the state government than it anticipated, leading to serious financial concerns for this district, in addition to the spending it already planned to cut.

But as the school district loses money, enrollment continues to grow. As of now, if the referendum does not pass, five teaching positions will be cut from each elementary school, 10 teaching positions from each middle school and 35 teaching positions at the high school. Without a referendum, class sizes will continue to increase because the district will lack sufficient funds to hire enough teachers. According to the district’s informational website on the referendum, it has been predicted that elementary schools would have 37 to 40 students per class, with similar numbers at the middle and high schools.

The website also states there would be at least a 20 percent reduction in all other staff positions. Many advanced and elective programs would have to be eliminated and there would be a minimum of 30 percent reduction for many of the extra-curricular programs that have become an integral part of the Carmel Clay Schools educational experience.

While some may worry about an increase in taxes, especially since the referendum would span seven years, it is important to know that taxes in Carmel have consistently decreased over the past several years and that the school district has always been a fiscally responsible member of the community. Carmel Clay Schools has the fourth lowest per pupil funding rate in the state. At the same time, it has the lowest school tax rate in Hamilton County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median home price in Carmel in 2007 was $251,400. The proposed referendum would only cost the owners of that home an extra $18 a month. That amount is a small price to pay for the quality of education that students receive in this area.

The bottom line is that our school district has a revenue problem. It can continue to make budget cuts, increase class sizes and reduce programs and services for the 15,500 students that it serves, or it can rely on the support of the community to pass a referendum.

Carmel Clay Schools has been able to provide unique opportunities and unbeatable educations to its students for many years without asking for anything in return. Now, the district needs our help. President Barack Obama once said, “We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our schools.” For the city of Carmel, that time has come.