The Monroe County Community School Corporation board approved transferring up to $12.5 million to the Operations Fund despite some opposition to the move.
The board voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2026-04, which authorizes transferring up to $12.5 million from the Education Fund to the Operations Fund. MCCSC gets money for the Education fund through per-pupil amounts based on student enrollment from the state; this money is used for teacher salaries and instructional materials. The Operations Fund, provided by local property taxes, helps pay for transportation, buildings, technology and athletic facilities.
“It's just seen as yet another cut to the morale of a lot of our teachers,” said Jenny Noble-Kuchera, Monroe County Education Association president. “What are we worth?”
Noble-Kuchera said since August 2024, the number of full-time teachers has decreased from 834 to 757.
“Fewer adults in a building means more work for everyone,” she said. “The negative effect that this can have on students has larger long-term consequences for their academic wellbeing as well.”
Parent and teacher Erich Nolan also opposed the transfer.
“I feel like MCCSC is breaking trust with our community when we continue to eliminate teaching positions, leading to larger class sizes and increased workload for teachers that remain,” he said. “Can we not find a way to utilize some of that $12.5 million to retain positions, or should we look forward to continued cuts for teachers and support staff?”
The transfer of funds is a state requirement; in 2019, the state moved employee costs, such as transportation staff, custodians and maintenance staff, out of the General Fund and into the new Operations Fund. Since the state moved the expenses but not the money to pay for them, local property taxes alone aren't enough to cover these costs. As a result, the state has authorized the corporation to transfer up to 15 percent of the Education Fund to the Operations Fund to help fill the gap, Matt Irwin, MCCSC chief financial officer, said.
According to an email from the corporation, MCCSC was authorized to transfer $15 million last year, but only transferred 5.8 percent, or $870,000. The $12.5 million the corporation could transfer to the Operations Fund this year represents about 14.5 percent of the approximately $86 million in the 2026 Education Fund.
“This is an up-to amount, so that we're not going back and re-changing this every time that we need to change something,” he said. “So, it is an up-to amount. It is not the amount that we plan to transfer.”
Money transfers will take place throughout the year.
Noble-Kuchera said the effect of this transfer is not immediate, but still harmful.
“In essence, this means more money for ball fields and furniture and less for the hiring and retaining of qualified professionals to work with students,” she said.
In an email to WFIU/WTIU News after the meeting, the corporation said the transfer of funds does not impact collective bargaining agreements, teacher or employee pay or hiring decisions.
Concerns on ICE activity
Community members expressed concerns about potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the area and asked the board for its plan. This comes amid high ICE activity in Minneapolis; earlier this month, an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good.
Last week, ICE agents detained 5-year-old Liam Ramos on his way home from school in Columbia Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis, and took him and his dad to a detention facility in Texas. Ramos is one of four children in the Columbia Heights school district detained by ICE agents in the last two weeks. And just this past weekend, federal immigration officers shot and killed intensive care nurse Alex Pretti.
“It's something we have to acknowledge,” said community member Jana Pereau. “It's happening, and you need to be prepared. We need to be prepared as a community to respond to this.”
In response to these concerns, board member April Hennessey spoke about her work with the Hoosier Asian American Power organization. She said one of their closest partners is in Minneapolis.
“Their caution to us was that when it comes to your plans, especially safety plans for students and schools, you should be quiet about them,” she said.
Hennessey assured attendees that the administration is working to keep students safe.
“To assume that the district and the board doesn't have a plan, I think, would be erroneous,” she said. “This district and this administration has a plan for everything. But just as with some other safety plans, we do not broadcast those publicly because they then no longer are safe.”
This comes after about 35 Bloomington South High School students held a walkout last week to protest ICE activities in Minneapolis and stand in solidarity with students there.
New financial transparency portal, AFSCME support staff, admin labor agreements
Superintendent Markay Winston also announced the launch of a financial transparency portal, which provides information on how the corporation is funded and how money is spent. Community members will be able to access the 2026 budget, information on referenda spending and impact, the plan to achieve financial balance and an FAQ section.
“We believe that it will strengthen trust, improve understanding and deepen our partnership with the community that we serve,” she said. “We want this portal to serve as your one-stop shop location for all things school finances at MCCSC.”
The board unanimously approved a collective bargaining agreement between MCCSC and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3995 last night. The agreement determines salaries and benefits for custodians, maintenance and food service employees and bus drivers, monitors and technicians. The agreement does not include any increase to base pay, but depending on the position, employees will receive an annual one-time stipend for the next two years, ranging from $250 to $600.
The board also approved salary and benefits for non-union support staff and administrators. It also does not increase base pay. Both agreements are valid through Dec. 31, 2027.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.
