Northwest Indiana school district eliminates school buses, some sports and clubs after funding cuts
A school district in Northwest Indiana said it will eliminate all school bus transportation and cut sports and clubs for grades K-8 to address a deficit caused by decreased funding from major property tax cuts.
In a statement on their Facebook page the Tri-Creek School Corporation — which serves Lowell, Indiana, as well as the rest of Cedar Creek Township, Eagle Creek Township and West Creek Township — said all school-sponsored sports and extracurricular clubs for grades K-8 will be eliminated on Aug. 1, 2027. The district's school bus transportation program will be eliminated on Aug. 1, 2028.
The district said additional cuts to high school sports, classroom instructional support staff and student safety programs are pending and will be determined at a later date.
The district said in its post that the cuts are necessary to address a $3 million deficit after Indiana passed Senate Enrolled Act 1 in 2025. The law made drastic changes and Indiana's property tax formula, which Indiana Senate Republicans said will provide $1.3 billion in savings for homeowners between 2025 and 2028.
The law significantly reduces the assessed value of homes across Indiana over the course of those three years, and provides substantial property tax credits to homeowners. Public schools rely on property taxes for large portions of their funding; the Tri-Creek School Corporation's social media post says the reduced revenue has necessitated the program cuts and eliminations they "regretfully approved" at their recent meeting.
The Indiana Legislative Services Agency – the arm of the Indiana General Assembly that handles fiscal analysis and research – estimated public schools in the state will lost $744.4 million between 2026 and 2027, according to the Indiana Coalition for Public Education.
The Tri-Creek Board of School Trustees will hold three town hall meetings so community members can ask questions about the cuts on Aug. 11 at 6 p.m., Aug. 19 at 9:30 a.m. and Aug. 26 at 7 p.m., all at the District Administration Office.
