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Muncie school board tables vote on deficit reduction plan

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) – The Muncie school board has tabled a vote on a deficit reduction plan that was presented at Tuesday night’s meeting, saying they will not take any action until after a community forum.

Many teachers and parents at Tueday’s meeting expressed concerns about the plan and said they feel like their voices are not being heard.

The proposed recommendations in the deficit reduction plan come as the district faces an $18 million deficit and risks a district takeover by the state.

The facilities committee made the following recommendations:

  • Close Storer in 2017-2018
  • Sell Nothside Middle School and lease it back until a new middle school can be built on the Storer property
  • Close Grissom and Sutton in 2018-2019, move Grissom students to Southside Middle School
  • Close Mitchell when possible
  • Close Muncie Area Career Center when possible
  • Retain Central as the district’s single 9-12 high school

The superintendent said Grissom students can not be placed in the middle school without remodeling the building, which would require “significant funds.” He also said deeper cuts will be needed in the face of SB 567, which could be achieved by keeping one middle school.

He presented the following administrative recommendations in view of SB 567:

  • Retain six elementary schools
  • Retain a single middle school (Southside)
  • Retain a single high school
  • Combine Muncie Area Career Center functions with Ivy Tech and the high school

All of these are recommendations. The board will not take any action until after a community forum. That forum has not yet been scheduled, but the school board president said it will be “soon” as the district needs to act fast.