Regular Board Meeting 10/19/26

The South Bend Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees’ regular meeting on October 19, 2026, included a public hearing on the proposed 2027 budget and several procurement approvals. The board approved a one-year graduation venue contract at Notre Dame’s ACC for $95,000, with $35,000 subsidized by the Education Alliance and $60,000 allocated by the district; the vote was 6–1. It also unanimously approved a Wilson High School camera-system upgrade, with 80% reimbursed through an IDOE safety grant; an internet-service blanket purchase order; a ClassDojo agreement; and a meal-service agreement with the Robinson Center, for which the district expects reimbursement. The board approved the listed contracts under $50,000, with item 13 handled separately; the votes recorded on those contract actions were split. The 2027 capital projects plan was presented at a public hearing, not voted on, and was estimated at $17.758 million, primarily bond-funded, for work including roof replacements at Edison and Washington, an Adams tower repair, and safety and fire-panel projects. The budget also included approximately $1 million for bus replacements.

The proposed 2027 budget showed a $5.5 million decrease from the 2026 budget overall, while school and instructional budgets were projected to increase. The board heard discussion of renewing the referendum, which expires after 2028, and the potential loss of roughly $30–$40 million without renewal; no referendum decision was made. Finance staff described tighter purchasing controls, including purchase orders as the preferred method, expanded transaction reviews, and reduced access to district credit cards. The legal counsel also described plans to consolidate separate department contracts with the same vendors and negotiate better terms. The board’s budget adoption was scheduled for November 2, 2026.