FACT: Center Grove did not increase its tax rate this year. Most homes in WRT appreciated in value. Because property taxes are a percentage of home value, those homeowners would pay more.

FACT: Property taxes are assessed based on a percentage of a home’s value. When the appraised value of homes increases, the amount of that percentage increases, even when the percentage remains the same. For 2022, the appraised value for homes in WRT increased by 20%.

FACT: The transfer amount in the 2023 budget is $9,582,635 from the Education Fund to the Operations Fund. That equates to 13.7% of the Education Fund, which is below the statutory limit. The statutory limit for the transfer of funds was set at 15% in 2019. That same year, the state also required schools to move expenses like custodial salaries and utilities from the Education to the Operations Fund, thus creating the need for this transfer.  

FACT: The funds Center Grove receives from property taxes go into the Operations and Debt Service Funds (See Image). Teachers must be paid from the Education Fund.

FACT: The total amount of money the teacher’s bargaining unit received was equal to 8%. However, new teachers do not receive “row advancement”, so the percentage amount per teacher would vary. Due to this salary scale compensation model, the raise an individual teacher received ranged from $3,320 - $6,410.

FACT: Of the 519 teachers in Center Grove during the 2021-22 school year, 13 retired and 50 resigned. 

Every year, Center Grove sees teachers leave for many reasons including to pursue other careers, to teach in other schools, or to retire. That number averages between 40-45 each year. Last year, Center Grove followed the trend seen nationally of a larger number of resignations/retirements. (See chart at link below.)

Teacher Resignations (2012-13 - 2021-22)

FACT: Center Grove replaces teachers who leave or retire. Last year, 63 teachers resigned or retired. 76 teachers were hired for the 2022-23 school year. That is an increase of 13 teachers.

FACT: Center Grove, as the employer, pays 72% of all premium costs for health insurance. Last year, that premium amount increased by 16%, which equates to $1.257,656. Of that increase, the district’s share was $988,202, which equates to a 13.3% increase from the previous year. The employee cost of the share was $269,454 which was by 12.7% from the previous year. The cost for employees increased between $18 and $39 per paycheck.

FACT: Last year, Center Grove was able to provide its teaching staff with an historic 8% average pay increase, along with a 7% pay increase for other employees of the school corporation. Last month, the Board approved a pay increase of 5.65% for support staff. The Board has also presented an offer to teachers which includes a 5.65% average pay increase. The Board appreciates the hard work and dedication of Center Grove teachers and all employees in Center Grove Schools.

FACT: If a teacher is asked to teach another class during his/her prep period, he/she is paid a per diem amount for that time as they would prep outside of the workday.  If a teacher covers a class during their day as a sub, they are provided a portion of a personal leave day as compensation for their time.

FACT: Clark-Pleasant’s 2021-22 minimum teacher salary was $45,000. Center Grove’s 2021-22 minimum teacher salary was $44,169.

FACT: The population of school-aged children in WRT is projected to grow from 9434 in 2022 to 11,072 by 2030. Plans are in place to increase capacity at our middle and high school buildings to accommodate this growth. But additional elementary schools will be needed to accommodate the elementary growth.