NOBLESVILLE — Officials at Noblesville Schools announced on Wednesday that they will have to make some staffing reductions in the coming weeks due to significant financial challenges.
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Noblesville Schools says the staffing cuts are in an effort to save over $3 million in annual expenses.
WRTV held a roundtable discussion with four moms of Noblesville students on Thursday.
"We don't even know because of the buckets of money, what are they even legally allowed to cut?” pointed out Rachel Glowacki, who has a third grader and a fifth grader in Noblesville Schools.
"You have federal standards that you have to meet, there are state standards they have to meet,” Jazzy O’Brien added, who has a Noblesville first and fifth grader of her own.
The district reports a number of factors are driving the multimillion-dollar deficit, including:
- The new state property tax law is reducing Noblesville Schools' funding by millions of dollars a year
- Decline in student population
- Increasing inflation
O’Brien said during Thursday’s roundtable discussion that she believes state legislation has played a large role.
"Senate bill one directly impacted how they set up the voucher school system,” O’Brien emphasized. “They're taking money from our public schools and putting it into private systems that are not held accountable to the same standards."
Noblesville Schools says its referendum, which provides $25 million a year for staff and operating expenses, is set to expire at the end of 2026.
"Noblesville Schools is the heart of our community. A referendum will probably be supported,” said Jenna Stewart, a mother of a Noblesville High School sophomore and fourth grader. "We will be able to make up the difference, but there are other places where they will have to consolidate schools. This is just not good for Indiana.”
"Passing this referendum is just a band-aid,” Glowacki added. “The problem is just so much deeper, but to maintain any resemblance of what we have right now is vital."
Devon Wellington, who has a first grader and third grader in Noblesville Schools, is now running for Indiana House District 29. Wellington says parents across the Hoosier state should take notice of what’s happening in Noblesville.
“It's absolutely a statewide issue. It's not just Noblesville,” Wellington said. “This will keep happening and keep happening and keep happening until enough people get mad enough to do something about it.”
While the issue of school funding can be complicated, O’Brien says the solution is simple.
"We need to have representatives that support our teachers and our students and the staff and our communities as a whole.”
In a press release issued on Wednesday, Noblesville Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan Hile said these cuts are necessary to ensure a strong financial future for the district.
“Thanks to sound financial management and savings, we are not in crisis mode right now,” shared Dr. Dan Hile, superintendent of Noblesville Schools, in the press release. “But this direction is not sustainable, and changes must be made to balance the budget so that we can ensure strong financial stability into the future.”
Over the past year, the district says it has already taken these steps to address the financial gaps:
- Provided only modest salary increases for teachers and staff
- Frozen salary increases for administrative leaders and school board members
- Reduced several positions
- Renegotiated contracts
- Shifted equipment purchases
- Implemented technology efficiencies
- Maximized revenue generation
Dr. Hile said he will carefully study budget projections and needs for the future.
Those looking for more information on the district’s financial struggles can do so by clicking the link here.
Noblesville Schools also has a breakdown on the ins and outs of school funding, as detailed here in their "Dollars + $ense” blog.
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