Indian River School District Referendum Defeated

Information from the DE Dept of Elections

The Indian River School District’s referendum on capital improvement and current expenses was defeated on Tuesday.

The referendum took place Tuesday, with district residents voting from 7am to 8pm. WGMD has learned on the question of Major Capital Improvements for the district, the vote were 3,202 for, and 3,866 against. On the question of Current Expense, the votes were 3,124 for and 3,838 against.

In a press release, School Superintendent Mark Steele says “We are obviously disappointed with the outcome of the referendum but we respect the wishes of our residents.” The Superintendent continued “With our total enrollment projected to grow by more than 1,700 students during the next six years, we are still faced with a shortage of classroom space at several schools.” Steele also stated that following the defeat, the Board of Education will “re-evaluate our needs and formulate strategies to accommodate this rapid rate of growth.”

The referendum would have provided funding for the construction of a new Sussex Central High School, as well as an eight-classroom addition at Indian River High School and a four classroom addition at Selbyville Middle School. The referendum also put forth additional funding for staff, curriculum, supplies, transportation and utility expenses.