TO THE VIGO COUNTY COUNCIL - Support & Fund the Vigo County Schools Consolidation Project
The Issue
PETITION TO THE VIGO COUNTY COUNCIL
Support & Fund the Vigo County Schools Consolidation and Modernization Plan — Option 6.2
To the Members of the Vigo County Council:
We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, parents, educators, alumni, students, business owners, and supporters of Vigo County respectfully call upon the Vigo County Council to support and provide the necessary county funding to move forward with the Vigo County Schools consolidation and modernization project, Option 6.2.
This decision did not happen overnight.
It is the culmination of years of work, public discussion, financial analysis, state and local cooperation, and consideration of the long-term future of public education in Vigo County.
Voters Spoke in 2022 — A Different Solution Was Needed
In 2022, Vigo County voters rejected a proposed capital referendum that would have increased property taxes to fund major school facility improvements.
That vote did not make the problems facing our aging school buildings disappear.
Instead, it required our community to find a different path forward — one that could address the long-term needs of our schools while respecting taxpayers.
For approximately two years following the referendum, the Vigo County School Corporation worked diligently to develop a long-term facilities plan. Enrollment, building conditions, educational opportunities, operating expenses, construction costs, and the future needs of students were all part of that discussion.
Thank You, Senator Greg Goode
A major step toward making a different solution possible came during the 2025 Indiana General Assembly.
We thank State Senator Greg Goode for authoring legislation that created a pathway for Vigo County government and the Vigo County School Corporation to work together on school facility improvements.
His efforts ultimately resulted in language enacted through House Enrolled Act 1515, allowing Vigo County to provide resources to VCSC and establishing an oversight structure intended to provide transparency and accountability over the use of county resources.
Without this legislative framework, the partnership now being considered between Vigo County and VCSC would not have been possible in its current form.
We thank Senator Goode for recognizing the challenge facing our community and working at the Statehouse to give local leaders another tool to address it.
Eight Months of Public Oversight
The process did not stop with VCSC’s original proposal.
For approximately eight months, the Vigo County School Facilities Oversight Board has conducted a process that residents could attend and view publicly.
The public has had the opportunity to watch the process firsthand as information was presented, questions were asked, finances were examined, different configurations were considered, and alternative plans were reviewed.
This has not been a decision made behind closed doors or developed overnight.
After reviewing the alternatives and building upon years of work already completed by VCSC, the Oversight Board ultimately arrived at Option 6.2 as the plan to move Vigo County forward.
We thank the members of the oversight board for volunteering their time, expertise, and heartfelt dedication to developing this plan.
A Countywide Investment
Option 6.2 is not an East Side plan.
It is not a West Side plan.
It is a Vigo County plan.
The proposal makes generational investments throughout our school system, including:
- Building a new East Side high school designed to serve thousands of Vigo County students in a modern educational environment.
- Renovating and modernizing West Vigo High School, ensuring that the West Side continues to have its own high school and providing West Vigo students with the facilities they deserve.
- Transitioning Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South into middle schools as part of the districtwide consolidation.
- Realigning elementary schools to better reflect enrollment, efficiency, and the future needs of students.
- Reducing the enormous long-term expense associated with maintaining and renovating aging and underutilized facilities.
- Creating modern facilities that can provide greater energy efficiency and lower long-term utility and maintenance costs.
- Expanding opportunities for career pathways, college readiness, and modern educational programming.
This is about creating a school system designed around the number of students Vigo County has today and expects to educate tomorrow — rather than continuing to operate a facilities footprint built for a much larger student population.
The Long-Term Numbers Matter
The financial consequences of doing nothing cannot be ignored.
According to the district’s feasibility analysis, the consolidation model represented by Option 6 is estimated to produce approximately:
$146.4 MILLION IN SAVINGS OVER 10 YEARS
through operational, education, and food-service savings compared with maintaining the status quo and renovating all existing facilities.
Additionally, the feasibility analysis estimates approximately:
$86-100 MILLION IN CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION SAVINGS
compared with the alternative of renovating the existing 23-building system.
Those are resources that can instead help Vigo County build a more sustainable educational system for the future.
Modern facilities can also create long-term efficiencies through reduced maintenance demands, improved building systems, and lower utility consumption.
We Cannot Keep Kicking the Can Down the Road
Doing nothing is not free.
Every year we delay, our buildings get another year older.
Maintenance needs continue.
Major systems continue to deteriorate.
Construction costs can increase.
And taxpayers continue putting money into buildings that may no longer make financial sense for the number of students they serve.
Eventually, someone will have to make these decisions.
We believe that time is now.
After years of work by VCSC and months of additional public review, continuing to delay simply pushes the problem onto another generation of students and taxpayers — potentially at a much greater cost.
Thank You to the Vigo County Commissioners
We also thank the Vigo County Commissioners for their unanimous support of moving this project forward.
Their willingness to work with VCSC, the Oversight Board, state officials, financial professionals, and other community leaders has helped create an opportunity to address a problem Vigo County has discussed for years.
This project requires cooperation.
No single elected official, governmental body, or school administrator can accomplish something of this magnitude alone.
We appreciate the Commissioners’ willingness to be part of that partnership and support a long-term solution for Vigo County’s schools.
Respect the Taxpayers — Invest in the Schools
Vigo County voters rejected the property-tax referendum approach in 2022.
Their voices should be respected.
But respecting that vote does not mean allowing our schools to deteriorate indefinitely.
It means finding another way — and Option 6.2 does exactly that.
The partnership made possible by the 2025 legislation provides Vigo County with an opportunity to make this generational investment without raising property taxes.
Instead of returning to taxpayers with another property-tax increase, this plan provides a path to build a new East Side high school, renovate and modernize West Vigo High School, repurpose existing facilities, and create a more sustainable school system for the future — without raising property taxes.
It also brings county government into the process, creating another layer of public oversight and accountability over this historic investment.
We believe Vigo County can invest in its children, modernize its schools, protect taxpayers, and make responsible long-term financial decisions at the same time.
Now the Vigo County Council Must Act
The Vigo County Council represents the next critical step.
We respectfully ask every member of the Vigo County Council to support and fund Option 6.2 and allow the Vigo County Schools consolidation and modernization project to move forward.
We ask the Council to support a plan that:
BUILD A NEW EAST SIDE HIGH SCHOOL.
RENOVATES AND PROTECTS WEST VIGO HIGH SCHOOL.
REPURPOSES NORTH AND SOUTH FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.
MODERNIZES EDUCATION THROUGHOUT VIGO COUNTY.
SAVES MONEY OVER THE LONG TERM.
DOES IT WITHOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES.
PROVIDES COUNTY OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
RESPECTS THE MESSAGE TAXPAYERS SENT IN 2022.
AND FINALLY ADDRESSES A PROBLEM WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO DELAY.
The process has been extensive.
The alternatives have been considered.
The public has been able to watch the process.
State government gave Vigo County the tools.
VCSC developed a plan.
The Oversight Board did its work.
The County Commissioners have offered their support.
Now we ask the Vigo County Council to finish the job.
We, the undersigned, respectfully urge the Vigo County Council to vote YES and provide the funding necessary to move Option 6.2 forward.
For our students. For our teachers. For our taxpayers. For the East Side. For the West Side. For the future of Vigo County.
SIGN THE PETITION
588
The Issue
PETITION TO THE VIGO COUNTY COUNCIL
Support & Fund the Vigo County Schools Consolidation and Modernization Plan — Option 6.2
To the Members of the Vigo County Council:
We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, parents, educators, alumni, students, business owners, and supporters of Vigo County respectfully call upon the Vigo County Council to support and provide the necessary county funding to move forward with the Vigo County Schools consolidation and modernization project, Option 6.2.
This decision did not happen overnight.
It is the culmination of years of work, public discussion, financial analysis, state and local cooperation, and consideration of the long-term future of public education in Vigo County.
Voters Spoke in 2022 — A Different Solution Was Needed
In 2022, Vigo County voters rejected a proposed capital referendum that would have increased property taxes to fund major school facility improvements.
That vote did not make the problems facing our aging school buildings disappear.
Instead, it required our community to find a different path forward — one that could address the long-term needs of our schools while respecting taxpayers.
For approximately two years following the referendum, the Vigo County School Corporation worked diligently to develop a long-term facilities plan. Enrollment, building conditions, educational opportunities, operating expenses, construction costs, and the future needs of students were all part of that discussion.
Thank You, Senator Greg Goode
A major step toward making a different solution possible came during the 2025 Indiana General Assembly.
We thank State Senator Greg Goode for authoring legislation that created a pathway for Vigo County government and the Vigo County School Corporation to work together on school facility improvements.
His efforts ultimately resulted in language enacted through House Enrolled Act 1515, allowing Vigo County to provide resources to VCSC and establishing an oversight structure intended to provide transparency and accountability over the use of county resources.
Without this legislative framework, the partnership now being considered between Vigo County and VCSC would not have been possible in its current form.
We thank Senator Goode for recognizing the challenge facing our community and working at the Statehouse to give local leaders another tool to address it.
Eight Months of Public Oversight
The process did not stop with VCSC’s original proposal.
For approximately eight months, the Vigo County School Facilities Oversight Board has conducted a process that residents could attend and view publicly.
The public has had the opportunity to watch the process firsthand as information was presented, questions were asked, finances were examined, different configurations were considered, and alternative plans were reviewed.
This has not been a decision made behind closed doors or developed overnight.
After reviewing the alternatives and building upon years of work already completed by VCSC, the Oversight Board ultimately arrived at Option 6.2 as the plan to move Vigo County forward.
We thank the members of the oversight board for volunteering their time, expertise, and heartfelt dedication to developing this plan.
A Countywide Investment
Option 6.2 is not an East Side plan.
It is not a West Side plan.
It is a Vigo County plan.
The proposal makes generational investments throughout our school system, including:
- Building a new East Side high school designed to serve thousands of Vigo County students in a modern educational environment.
- Renovating and modernizing West Vigo High School, ensuring that the West Side continues to have its own high school and providing West Vigo students with the facilities they deserve.
- Transitioning Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South into middle schools as part of the districtwide consolidation.
- Realigning elementary schools to better reflect enrollment, efficiency, and the future needs of students.
- Reducing the enormous long-term expense associated with maintaining and renovating aging and underutilized facilities.
- Creating modern facilities that can provide greater energy efficiency and lower long-term utility and maintenance costs.
- Expanding opportunities for career pathways, college readiness, and modern educational programming.
This is about creating a school system designed around the number of students Vigo County has today and expects to educate tomorrow — rather than continuing to operate a facilities footprint built for a much larger student population.
The Long-Term Numbers Matter
The financial consequences of doing nothing cannot be ignored.
According to the district’s feasibility analysis, the consolidation model represented by Option 6 is estimated to produce approximately:
$146.4 MILLION IN SAVINGS OVER 10 YEARS
through operational, education, and food-service savings compared with maintaining the status quo and renovating all existing facilities.
Additionally, the feasibility analysis estimates approximately:
$86-100 MILLION IN CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION SAVINGS
compared with the alternative of renovating the existing 23-building system.
Those are resources that can instead help Vigo County build a more sustainable educational system for the future.
Modern facilities can also create long-term efficiencies through reduced maintenance demands, improved building systems, and lower utility consumption.
We Cannot Keep Kicking the Can Down the Road
Doing nothing is not free.
Every year we delay, our buildings get another year older.
Maintenance needs continue.
Major systems continue to deteriorate.
Construction costs can increase.
And taxpayers continue putting money into buildings that may no longer make financial sense for the number of students they serve.
Eventually, someone will have to make these decisions.
We believe that time is now.
After years of work by VCSC and months of additional public review, continuing to delay simply pushes the problem onto another generation of students and taxpayers — potentially at a much greater cost.
Thank You to the Vigo County Commissioners
We also thank the Vigo County Commissioners for their unanimous support of moving this project forward.
Their willingness to work with VCSC, the Oversight Board, state officials, financial professionals, and other community leaders has helped create an opportunity to address a problem Vigo County has discussed for years.
This project requires cooperation.
No single elected official, governmental body, or school administrator can accomplish something of this magnitude alone.
We appreciate the Commissioners’ willingness to be part of that partnership and support a long-term solution for Vigo County’s schools.
Respect the Taxpayers — Invest in the Schools
Vigo County voters rejected the property-tax referendum approach in 2022.
Their voices should be respected.
But respecting that vote does not mean allowing our schools to deteriorate indefinitely.
It means finding another way — and Option 6.2 does exactly that.
The partnership made possible by the 2025 legislation provides Vigo County with an opportunity to make this generational investment without raising property taxes.
Instead of returning to taxpayers with another property-tax increase, this plan provides a path to build a new East Side high school, renovate and modernize West Vigo High School, repurpose existing facilities, and create a more sustainable school system for the future — without raising property taxes.
It also brings county government into the process, creating another layer of public oversight and accountability over this historic investment.
We believe Vigo County can invest in its children, modernize its schools, protect taxpayers, and make responsible long-term financial decisions at the same time.
Now the Vigo County Council Must Act
The Vigo County Council represents the next critical step.
We respectfully ask every member of the Vigo County Council to support and fund Option 6.2 and allow the Vigo County Schools consolidation and modernization project to move forward.
We ask the Council to support a plan that:
BUILD A NEW EAST SIDE HIGH SCHOOL.
RENOVATES AND PROTECTS WEST VIGO HIGH SCHOOL.
REPURPOSES NORTH AND SOUTH FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.
MODERNIZES EDUCATION THROUGHOUT VIGO COUNTY.
SAVES MONEY OVER THE LONG TERM.
DOES IT WITHOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES.
PROVIDES COUNTY OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
RESPECTS THE MESSAGE TAXPAYERS SENT IN 2022.
AND FINALLY ADDRESSES A PROBLEM WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO DELAY.
The process has been extensive.
The alternatives have been considered.
The public has been able to watch the process.
State government gave Vigo County the tools.
VCSC developed a plan.
The Oversight Board did its work.
The County Commissioners have offered their support.
Now we ask the Vigo County Council to finish the job.
We, the undersigned, respectfully urge the Vigo County Council to vote YES and provide the funding necessary to move Option 6.2 forward.
For our students. For our teachers. For our taxpayers. For the East Side. For the West Side. For the future of Vigo County.
SIGN THE PETITION
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Petition created on August 19, 2026