Budget Committee
Indiana · corporation 7495 · Starke County

Oregon-Davis School Corporation

District briefing, fall 2026: enrollment, achievement, attendance, finances and property taxes.

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Oregon-Davis School Corporation: one referendum question

Shall the Oregon-Davis School Corporation continue to increase property taxes paid to the school corporation for no more than eight (8) years for the purpose of funding current educational and operational expenses by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed nineteen cents ($0.19) and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $800,000? If this operating referendum is NOT approved by the voters, for a median residence of $150,000, the property's annual tax bill would decrease by $173 per year. If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, it would be renewal of the most recent operating referendum public question passed in 2018 with a property tax rate of twenty-nine cents ($0.29).

Source: Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, final determination 26-027-REF

Enrollment
503
2025-26
Fall ADM
502
2023-24 funding count
Enrollment, 5 yr
+2.0%
headcount change · regional +0.2%
Chronic absence
17.4%
2024-25
Spending / pupil
$13,235
FY2024
School tax rate
$0.9156
pay 2026
Home value
−20%
5-yr avg vs. 6 nearby districts
Enrollment

503 students in 2025-26, +2.0% over five years; the regional peer median moved +0.2%.

Achievement

40.8% proficient in ELA and 42.8% in math on ILEARN 2025 (median corporation 38.2% and 40.7%), 114th of 290 statewide in ELA. Graduation rate 100.0%.

Attendance

17.4% of students were chronically absent in 2024-25, against 13.2% for the median corporation.

Spending

$13,235 current spending per pupil in FY2024, above the peer median of $13,042 and above the statewide median of $11,831.

Property tax

The school tax rate payable 2026 totals $0.9156 per $100 of assessed value on a $3.3M levy; $1.0M of it is the operating referendum.

Referendum

The November 3, 2026 ballot asks for renewing the operating referendum at a rate of up to $0.1900 per $100 of assessed value for up to 8 years, raising at most $800,000 a year (the 2018 question set $0.2900). If it fails, the county auditor estimates the tax bill on a median home ($150,000 assessed value) would fall by $173 a year.

Oregon-Davis enrolled 503 students in 2025-26. Since 2005-06 enrollment has fallen 29%; the regional peer median shrank 27% and the median Indiana corporation shrank 11%. The chart indexes each series to its 2005-06 level.

Oregon-DavisRegional peers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
106958574632005-062009-102013-142017-182021-222025-26

Enrollment and the funding count

Indiana's tuition support formula pays on average daily membership (ADM), counted each September and again in the spring; ADM excludes pre-kindergarten, which the enrollment count includes. Oregon-Davis's fall ADM was 502 in 2023-24, 0.94 per enrolled student.

School yearEnrolled studentsFall ADMPer enrolled student
2018-195005131.03
2019-205045000.99
2020-214935001.01
2021-224784881.02
2022-234964971.00
2023-245325020.94

IDOE State Tuition Support Annual Reports, Appendix A (fall count, non-virtual plus virtual ADM), and IDOE enrollment (October count).

Students, 2025-26

Student groupOregon-DavisPeers (median)Indiana (median)
Eligible for free or reduced-price meals52.7%51.8%46.4%
Receiving special education services12.9%22.9%18.4%
English learners0.0%1.0%2.1%
White90.7%92.3%87.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.6%3.8%6.1%
Black or African American0.2%0.5%1.0%
Asian0.2%0.3%0.4%
Two or more races2.4%2.6%3.4%

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Oregon-Davis averaged $114,860, 20% below the median of the 6 districts within 25 miles ($143,800). That ranks 7th of 7 in the area and at the 13th percentile of Indiana districts (state median $158,850).

ACS 5-year releaseOregon-DavisNearby medianDifferenceIndiana median
2016–20$96,400$120,900−20%$132,200
2017–21$97,700$128,350−24%$141,050
2018–22$119,900$151,500−21%$160,550
2019–23$124,300$156,800−21%$175,600
2020–24$136,000$166,150−18%$187,600
Five-release average$114,860$143,800−20%$158,850

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, median value of owner-occupied homes (table B25077), in nominal dollars. Consecutive releases share four of their five survey years, so the average is a smoothed level rather than five independent years. Nearby districts are those whose NCES office address lies within 25 miles of Oregon-Davis's: Culver Community Schools Corp (13 mi, $160,640); Triton (24 mi, $155,380); Tri-Township Cons (18 mi, $154,140); North Judson-San Pierre Sch Corp (17 mi, $133,460); Argos (19 mi, $133,380); Eastern Pulaski Community Sch Corp (24 mi, $126,900).

Where resident students go, fall 2025

Of 649 students who live in the district, 330 attend Oregon-Davis schools: a retention rate of 50.9%, 285th of 290 statewide. 319 leave: 9 on Choice Scholarships to private schools, 8 to charter schools and 302 to other public corporations. 139 students transfer in. The largest destinations:

AttendsStudentson Choice Scholarshipsat charters
John Glenn School Corporation18200
Knox Community School Corp6300
Plymouth Community School Corp1400
South Central Com School Corp900
Union School Corporation800
Clarksville Community School Corp700

IDOE enrollment (October count) and fall 2025-26 transfer report. Retention = resident students enrolled in the corporation as a share of all students who live there (“settled”).

On the spring 2025 ILEARN, 40.8% of Oregon-Davis students were proficient in English/language arts and 42.8% in math, against 38.2% and 40.7% for the median Indiana corporation. That ranks 114th and 126th among 290 corporations. Against the peer median it trails in science and the SAT.

MeasureOregon-DavisPeer medianregional beneathIndiana (median)Statewide rank
ILEARN English/language arts, grades 3–8 (2025)40.8%33.7%regional 39.5%38.2%114th of 290
ILEARN math (2025)42.8%37.0%regional 38.5%40.7%126th of 290
ILEARN science (2025)35.7%38.1%regional 42.5%43.2%209th of 290
ILEARN, proficient in both ELA and math (2025)27.9%24.0%regional 28.4%28.1%147th of 290
IREAD-3 pass rate (2026)100.0%88.8%regional 91.9%91.3%1st of 290
SAT, met both benchmarks, grade 11 (2026)12.0%12.9%regional 13.2%19.3%222nd of 289
Graduation rate (2025 cohort)100.0%95.1%regional 95.5%95.1%1st of 289
Schools rated Meets or Exceeds Expectations (2025)50%0%regional 50%33%94th of 290

IDOE assessment, graduation and federal accountability files. Rank is among Indiana's public school corporations with a reported result (1st = highest). Only the 2025 ILEARN release is on file, so there is no trend line here.

In 2024-25, 17.4% of Oregon-Davis students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year), against 15.3% in the peer median and 13.2% in the median Indiana corporation. That is 204th lowest of 290. Before the pandemic, in 2018-19, the rate was 19.5%.

Oregon-DavisPeers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
31%24%18%11%5%2012-132014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232024-25

IDOE chronic absenteeism file, 2012-13 to 2024-25. A student is chronically absent after missing 10% or more of enrolled days.

Oregon-Davis spent $13,235 per pupil on current operations in FY2024, against $13,042 for the peer median and $11,831 for the median Indiana corporation. Local property tax provided 33% of revenue (peer median 24%, Indiana median 25%) and state aid 49% (Indiana median 55%).

Oregon-DavisPeers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
$14,831$12,606$10,380$8,155$5,929FY2006FY2010FY2014FY2018FY2024

U.S. Census Bureau annual school finance survey (F-33), current spending per pupil, nominal dollars, excluding the teacher-retirement payments the state makes on corporations' behalf (reported inconsistently in FY2023). Capital and debt payments are not current spending.

For taxes payable in 2026 the corporation certified $3.3M across its funds, at a combined rate of $0.9156 per $100 of net assessed value. The operating referendum adds $1.0M ($0.2900 per $100). Indiana's property-tax caps do not apply to referendum levies, which makes an operating referendum the one local operating revenue source outside the caps.

DLGF certified levyPay 2022Pay 2023Pay 2024Pay 2025Pay 2026
Total certified school levy$3.0M$2.9M$3.1M$3.3M$3.3M
Operations fund$1.2M$1.2M$1.3M$1.3M$1.4M
Debt service$1.1M$0.8M$1.0M$1.1M$0.9M
Operating referendum$0.7M$0.8M$0.9M$0.9M$1.0M
Referendum debt (capital)$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M
Total school tax rate per $100$1.2447$1.0138$1.0056$0.9211$0.9156
Operating referendum rate per $100$0.2900$0.2900$0.2730$0.2526$0.2900

Oregon-Davis and its regional peers, pay 2026

CorporationTotal school rate per $100Operating referendum rateTotal levy
Argos Community Schools$1.0582$0.0000$2.5M
Oregon-Davis School Corp$0.9156$0.2900$3.3M
Tri-Township Cons School Corp$0.8258$0.0000$2.3M
Triton School Corporation$0.8000$0.0000$3.7M
North Judson-San Pierre Sch Corp$0.7734$0.0000$3.9M
Eastern Pulaski Community Sch Corp$0.6464$0.0000$4.4M
Culver Community Schools Corp$0.6294$0.1700$7.8M

Oregon-Davis's operating referendum rate is the highest of these 7 corporations. Statewide, 66 of 290 school units levied an operating referendum for taxes payable 2026.

Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Certified Budget, Levy, CNAV and Rate by Fund files. Operating referendum = funds 0022, 0023 and 0025; referendum debt = 0187 and 0287. Rates are per $100 of net assessed value; referendum funds are levied on a different assessed-value base from the other funds, so the rates are summed as published.

The November 3, 2026 question asks for renewing the operating referendum at a rate of up to $0.1900 per $100 of assessed value for up to 8 years, raising at most $800,000 a year (the 2018 question set $0.2900). If it fails, the county auditor estimates the tax bill on a median home ($150,000 assessed value) would fall by $173 a year.

For taxes payable 2026, Oregon-Davis levies $1.0M through an operating referendum, at $0.2900 per $100 of assessed value. The question's ceiling of $0.1900 is $0.1000 below that rate.

Oregon-Davis has put 2 referendum questions to voters since 2012; all passed. Statewide, DLGF records 190 operating referendum questions from 2009 through 2025, and 133 passed (70%).

ElectionTypeResult
May 2018OperatingPassed
May 2012OperatingPassed

Ballot terms: the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance's final determination on each question, which quotes the approved wording and the county auditor's certified median-home estimate. Past results: DLGF historic referenda records (outcome only; DLGF does not publish vote counts). Current levy: DLGF certified levy by fund.

Wherever this briefing sets Oregon-Davis beside other school corporations, it uses the groups below. A group figure is the middle value across its members, each counted equally, so one large member cannot dominate it.

Peers 12 school corporations

The 12 Indiana districts (public school corporations) most like Oregon-Davis on four equally weighted factors: total enrollment (compared as a ratio), current spending per pupil, students per teacher and the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, each difference scaled by how much the factor varies across districts, and none more than two standard deviations away on any one. The group starts with nearby districts that match closely (within half a standard deviation on average) and fills the rest from anywhere in the state. Peers carry the achievement, spending and staffing comparisons.

School corporationCountyMilesEnrollmentSpending per pupilStudents per teacherFree/reduced-price meals
North Judson-San Pierre Sch CorpStarke17912$13,19912.644.8%
Argos Community SchoolsMarshall19654$12,49412.746.6%
Whitko Community School CorpWhitley501,091$13,59811.947.8%
Attica Consolidated School CorpFountain85539$13,34212.858.6%
Wes-Del Community SchoolsDelaware94895$13,51513.057.2%
North Vermillion Com Sch CorpVermillion109735$12,49210.053.9%
Blue River Valley SchoolsHenry115618$12,23312.046.9%
Southwest Parke Com Sch CorpParke124993$12,04310.945.7%
Randolph Southern School CorpRandolph125461$11,79512.256.4%
Western Wayne SchoolsWayne132699$13,28413.061.2%
West Washington School CorpWashington195979$13,01612.749.6%
East Gibson School CorporationGibson216665$13,06710.857.4%

Regional peers 6 school corporations

The 6 districts (public school corporations) within 25 miles of Oregon-Davis, straight line between district offices, whose profile on the same four factors is comparable: on average within one standard deviation. They carry enrollment, property taxes and home values, and their median sits beneath the peer median elsewhere. A district in both groups appears in both lists.

School corporationCountyMilesEnrollmentSpending per pupilStudents per teacherFree/reduced-price meals
Culver Community Schools CorpMarshall13804$16,24411.859.7%
North Judson-San Pierre Sch CorpStarke17912$13,19912.644.8%
Tri-Township Cons School CorpLaPorte18266$12,3489.040.6%
Argos Community SchoolsMarshall19654$12,49412.746.6%
Triton School CorporationMarshall24923$11,06015.147.0%
Eastern Pulaski Community Sch CorpPulaski241,014$12,68813.947.1%

“Indiana median” is the middle value across Indiana's public school corporations. Corporations that enroll mostly virtual students are left out of both groups. Spending is F-33 current spending excluding state on-behalf payments; students per teacher is the NCES Common Core of Data count.