Column: Zionsville Community School backs Fix-It campaign

During this year’s legislative session, our elected state representatives and senators will craft the state’s next two-year budget and in doing so will consider changes to the school funding formula.

The members of the Zionsville Community Schools Board of Trustees support legislative changes to the school funding formula that will enable our district to maintain appropriate class sizes and programs while decreasing or eliminating the need for future operating referendum. Simply put, the current level of funding and structure of the school funding formula will not sustain the quality of public schools that our community desires.

We have joined a coalition of similarly low-funded school districts to form the “Fix-it Coalition” with the goal of improving school funding for some of the fastest growing and highest-performing school districts in the state. We believe this goal is necessary and attainable without harming districts that have higher numbers of students facing challenges related to poverty.

Recent comments by Governor Pence and legislative leaders expressing a desire to increase overall school funding are encouraging. Vibrant public schools with successful students are vital to the continued success and growth of every community across the state. It is our belief that the inequity in the current school funding formula is detrimental to Zionsville and other similar communities throughout the state and needs to be addressed during this legislative session.

We are pleased to have the support of the Zionsville Town Council, Zionsville Chamber of Commerce and Zionsville Educators Association, all of whom have passed resolutions supporting the goal of increasing school funding through legislative action. They join dozens of other local governments, education and business organizations across the state that have committed similar support to this legislative effort on behalf of their own local public schools.

Similarly, members of the community are invited to support the Fix-It Coalition by following the group’s website (www.indianaschoolfunding.org), Facebook page (IndianaFixIt) or Twitter (@FixSchoolFunds). Community members interested in contacting legislators can join the coalition’s volunteer list via the website.

We are committed to the continued success of Zionsville Community Schools and our students. We are proud of our record of excellence and grateful for the community for their investment in our public schools. By advocating for legislative change in the school funding formula we seek to get Zionsville taxpayers and students a more equitable level of funding to continue this success.