At A Glance:
What: Brownsburg Schools Warn of $7.9M Budget Gap, Urge Community to Contact Lawmakers
When: February 04, 2026
Summary: Brownsburg Community School Corporation administrators are warning that recent state legislation will force nearly $8 million in budget cuts over the next three years and are urging residents to contact lawmakers in hopes of avoiding layoffs and/or a future tax referendum. A boiler plate email is found below in this article.
BROWNSBURG —
Dr. Kat Jessup School Superintendent and Shane Hacker Assistant Superintendent for Operations shared the outlook during the first session of a new Community Engagement Series held Feb. 4, describing the financial challenges as significant but not yet unavoidable if legislative solutions can be found.
They both referred to two state laws — House Bill 1454 (2023) and Senate Enrolled Act 1 (2025) — which are expected to reduce district revenue by more than $5 million annually, creating a projected $7.9 million shortfall through 2028 and prompting potential early staffing and operational reductions.
HB 1454 eliminated the district’s ability to use the “Protected Taxes Waiver,” which previously allowed Brownsburg to transfer surplus debt-service funds into its operations budget without raising taxes. District officials said the change removed roughly $3.5 million per year from the operations fund while providing no direct property tax relief for homeowners. 
Projected revenue by fund from 2023 to 2028 assuming no changes by state legislators. SEA 1, which includes a homeowner tax credit of up to $300, is projected to further reduce local taxing-unit revenue. For Brownsburg schools alone, officials estimate the measure will cut more than $2 million annually from the operations fund.
Because Brownsburg has a heavily residential tax base, administrators said the district is disproportionately affected by property tax caps compared with neighboring districts.
Officials outlined a phased reduction plan totaling about:
- $3 million in 2026
- $3.8 million in 2027
- $1.1 million in 2028
What’s Been Done So Far?
So far, Jessup said approximately $1.38 million in cuts have already been identified through staffing and administrative changes, including the planned elimination of an associate superintendent role, reductions in department leadership positions, and the eventual removal of a high school associate principal position.
The district has also declined to replace several custodial, maintenance, and instructional positions following resignations and other measures, resulting in operational adjustments and larger class sizes in some cases.
The school administration has also held productive discussions with executive members of the Town of Brownsburg, and both Brown and Lincoln Township Trustees.
Jessup and Hacker both emphasized that construction projects are not responsible for the operating shortfall. Capital improvements are funded through long-term bonds paid from debt service, not classroom operating dollars, and officials said careful debt restructuring has allowed the district to expand while lowering the school tax rate for 14 consecutive years.
Looking for avoid a referendum
Despite the financial outlook, both stressed they are trying to avoid asking voters for additional funding.
A referendum is an absolute last resort and something we want to avoid, Jessup and Hacker told attendees, noting such measures can be divisive for communities.
Instead, said they are advocating for legislative changes that would allow the district greater flexibility with existing funds without increasing property taxes.
District representatives have already met with several state lawmakers. Jessup described some legislators as receptive to their concerns; while noting at least one indicated he would not support reversing HB 1454.
Jessup encouraged residents — including those unable to attend the meeting — to call or email legislators, saying constituent outreach often carries more weight than institutional advocacy.
Community residents contact your State Legislators
“Our legislators need to hear from the people they represent,” Jessup said, adding that the shortened legislative session is expected to conclude by the end of February. The school administration has provided a boiler plate memo with email address and asked those attending to send the email in the next few days (see materials below).
The Feb. 4 event provided an overview of Indiana school finance, with additional sessions planned to further explain district funding and gather community feedback.
Jessup closed the meeting by thanking those in attendance and saying the goal of the engagement series is to increase transparency, build public understanding, and develop a “unified voice” as the district navigates the financial challenges ahead.
Here is the text you can copy/paste to email to your state legislators:
Dear Senator/Representative,
As a member of the Brownsburg community, l am writing to ask for your help. Recent legislative decisions have resulted in a significant loss of revenue in the Operations Fund of Brownsburg Community School Corporation. We know that you have heard from district administrators about these concerns and potential solutions that would avoid a 2026 referendum and do not negatively impact taxpayers. Please consider a temporary protected taxes waiver for Brownsburg Community School Corporation. l am proud of our schools and cutting $7.9 million over the next 3 years will have a substantial impact on our students, staff, and community.
Your name and contact information here
Legislator Contact Information
How to find your legislators: https://iga.in.gov/information/find-legislators
Senator Brian Buchanan – District 7
800-382-9467 or 317-232-9400
S7@iga.in.gov
Senator Brett Clark – District 24
800-382-9467 or 317-232-9400
S24@iga.in.gov
Representative Becky Cash – District 25
800-232-9841 or 317-232-9706
H25@iga.in.gov
Representative Jeff Thompson – District 28
800-232-9841 or 317-232-9651
H28@iga.in.gov
Community Engagement
For those unable to attend, meeting materials such as session recaps, presentations, and recordings are available via link >> CLICK HERE <<
To register to attend future meetings:
https://www.brownsburg.k12.in.us/com…/community-engagement
The meetings are scheduled for Feb 25th, Mar 18th, Apr 8th, Apr 29th. Content will build from session to session they will not start over each time.
Where: 310 S Stadium Dr. Brownsburg Door #7
Content courtesy of:
Article by The Editor
2026 02 04 BCSC Community Engagement Materials
