For Immediate Release September 12, 2023
South Bend Community School Corporation response to County Council resolution
South Bend Community School Corporation is grateful for the service of the St. Joseph County Council. However, difficult financial decisions–much like those the Council has had to make–are never easy. Tonight’s resolution represents a distraction from the district’s core mission of educating children, and promotes an unrealistic course of action that would threaten the quality of learning for students in Clay Township, undermine established forms of district governance, and would be without precedent in the state of Indiana.
The District has been transparent and open about the Facilities Master Plan and we will continue to move forward with the recommendation, which was based on a series of efficiency studies conducted by an unbiased third-party, as well as over 89 public meetings and 17 surveys conducted for public input.
We are proud to serve Clay Township with 3 excellent schools: Swanson Traditional–which is a Blue Ribbon School, the K-8 magnet program at Clay International Academy, and the neighborhood school at Darden Elementary. The Clay High School Fine Arts magnet program will also continue at Riley High School starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
It is imperative that South Bend Schools make bold moves to ensure ALL of our students have access to an equitable and high quality education; continuing with the status quo is not an option when too many students are denied these opportunities. As we continue to carry out the will of our patrons, above all else, we will continue getting academic outcomes: increases in literacy rates, the highest graduation rates in a decade, students earning associate degrees, all the while, maintaining the District’s AA+ credit rating. The Superintendent commends our publicly-elected South Bend School Board for their extraordinary work in listening, leading, and executing these important decisions.