MCCSC board seat open after Shurr resigns, applications due March 27

The District 7 seat on the Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) Board of School Trustees is now vacant. Brandon Shurr stepped down from the board a week ago.

Shurr’s resignation from District 7 got a mention from MCCSC superintendent Markay Winston at Tuesday’s (March 25) regular board meeting. Pursuant to MCCSC bylaw 0140 and Indiana Code 20-23-4-30, the board has 30 days to appoint someone to fill the vacated position. If the 30-day deadline is not met, a judge of Monroe County’s circuit court makes the appointment.

In an email to the B Square, board president April Hennessey indicated that Shurr wrote on [March] 13th to indicate his intent to resign, but “did not offer [the board an] explanation.” MCCSC received the official notice that was filed with county clerk Nicole Browne on March 19, beginning the 30-day clock, which ends on April 18. Only residents of District 7 can apply to serve on the board. Applications are due on March 27 by 5 p.m. MCCSC has posted a notice of vacancy with detailed information about how to apply.

Shurr was elected to the school board in November 2018. Shurr’s service on the board included election as board president at the start of 2022, a position from which he stepped down in October 2023.

Whoever fills Shurr’s seat will face some pressing issues for the district. One of them is a budgeting challenge. According to MCCSC, the financial strain is caused by several factors, including declining enrollment and rising employee payroll expenses. According to the district, enrollment decline over three school years (fall 2020 through spring 2024) resulted in a $17.2 million loss of revenue in the education fund, which is what pays for teacher compensation. 

With public school funding under threat in the state’s current legislative session, the district plans to address it with a two-year strategy to achieve “financial balance.” The plan includes “cost containment measures,” which make a priority of reducing staffing through attrition.

Another challenge the new board appointee will face is the ongoing process of redistricting MCCSC’s elementary school attendance zones. In February 2024, the board passed a resolution to study redistricting, with the goal of balancing socio-economic status in each school. MCCSC is establishing a Redistricting Study Commission. At Tuesday’s (March 25) board meeting, Winston said, “Community members can complete the interest form and/or sign up to receive updates … at our website.” She said that more than 60 community members have expressed interest so far. Those who want to serve on the commission have to complete the form by March 28.

Tuesday’s (March 25) board meeting also included a legislative update from board member Ashley Pirani, which will eventually be published to the MCCSC Legislative Updates webpage. Pirani highlighted several bills, including: HB 1001, which could impact capital appropriations for education, potentially restricting funding; SB 146, which calls for increased starting teacher salaries and 20 days of paid parental leave for teachers; HB 1681, which proposes to limit referenda and local public questions only to general elections in a given year; and SB 287, which establishes partisan school board elections. SB 287 is scheduled to be heard at third reading on the House floor today (March 26).

“What happens at the statehouse directly impacts our school districts, schools, and educational opportunities for our students,” Pirani said. “We are slowly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the legislative session.”