Indian River School District Referendum Q&A

At a 38th District Club meeting, Dr. Jay Owens, the Superintendent of the Indian River School District, addresses the upcoming referendum, scheduled for March 20th.

Dr. Jay Owens, Indian River School District Superintendent

IR School District Referendum

The Indian River School District will hold a Current Expense Referendum on Thursday, March 20, 2025, seeking funding to cover rising operating costs and support the recruitment and retention of teachers and staff. This vote is critical for the future of education in our community, and it’s important to understand the reasons behind it and its impact on local taxpayers.

Voting will be available from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on March 20 at multiple locations throughout the district. Unsure if you’re in the district? Use the district lookup tool here.

In addition to voting on the day of the referendum, absentee ballots can be requested by mail or in person, with absentee voting available until noon on March 19. For more details, including voting information and flyers in both English and Spanish, visit the referendum website.

Why is the Referendum Is Needed?

What is the impact to taxpayers?

Have reductions in other budget areas been implemented to offset the deficit?

Is the IR School District truly offering 'premier educational services'? If that's the case, why are most of our students not meeting grade-level standards?

How does the compensation package for IR School District compare to other teaching and non-teaching salaries in Sussex County?

Is there an initiative to employ professionals who do not possess a specific teaching degree, enabling highly educated and experienced individuals to teach in schools? Since there is not, when might this be revised to ensure our students have access to the most experienced and educated teachers?

What happens to ineffective educators? Are they given guidance or have their pay reduced due to students' poor performance? If we reward top teachers, are there repercussions for those who perform the worst?

Regarding a national teacher shortage, what is the percentage of vacant teaching positions at IR School District? How does IR rank compared to the rest of Delaware and the nation with vacant teaching positions?

How will IR School District address the situation if the referendum does not pass to prevent operating with a deficit budget? What strategies will you implement to manage the budget deficit?

If you believe our schools are delivering "excellent services," why are students underperforming? At Indian River School District, 42.26% are proficient in English Language Arts, and 35.58% are proficient in Mathematics, yet 80% are considered college and career-ready. How many are truly admitted to a four-year college? Is there any information on average SAT scores?

Regarding IR School District hasn't raised taxes since 2017, how frequently do you anticipate that IR School District will or should propose a tax increase, and what are the future projections?

Additional Referendum Informational Meetings

In case you miss this informative meeting with the IR School District Superintendent, there will be three other opportunities to learn more about the upcoming referendum.

• Monday, March 3 – Lord Baltimore Elementary School, 7:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 12 – Indian River High School, 7:00 p.m.

• Thursday, March 13 – Sussex Central High School, 7:00 p.m.

For more information about the referendum, contact Indian River’s Referendum Hotline at (302) 436-1079 or visit their website. Questions can also be sent via e-mail to referendum@irsd.k12.de.us.

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