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One passed, one failed: Here's what Tuesday's vote on school referendums means for southern Indiana districts

Voters in Clark County passed a referendum to split a school district and in Floyd county voters decide not to fund a safety referendum.

INDIANA, USA — New Albany Floyd County School leaders are calling Tuesday’s vote ‘unfortunate.’

“We are disheartened,” said School Board President Elaine Murphy.

The district had been pushing to be the second in the state to pass a safety referendum through voters but didn’t get the final vote they hoped for.

RELATED: Southern Indiana school district looking to become second in state for school safety referendum

More than 52 percent of voters weren't willing to pay a tax hike to fund safety upgrades in the district. None the less, Political Action Committee leader Misty Ronau says the campaign made an impact.

"You started a community wide dialogue about mental health and that's the first step in working to positively impact access to care,” said Ronau.

School leaders said they’re working to move forward, as they still think safety upgrades, including access to mental health services, are important for students.

"The societal issues of student and staff safety is not going to go away any time soon,” said Superintendent Brad Snyder.

Snyder added that the district couldn’t try to pass another referendum for a year. Now, the district says it will work to find other funding sources for mental health services.

"We will need to look at where we go next. Where will we find the funding to continue that? And we'll have to make some tough choices,” said Murphy.

While school leaders in Floyd County are concerned about where they'll find funding moving forward, a district in Clark County has approved a district split in hopes of making its schools more financially stable.

West Clark Community Schools' reorganization plan has been a project in the works for three years. On Tuesday, voters decided to move it forward.

"First time it's been done in the state and only the second time it's been done in the country,” said School Board Member Joe Basham.

The community voted with about 75 percent in favor of splitting the district, which means Silver Creek schools will have their own district.

RELATED: Clark County votes to split West Clark Community Schools

School leaders say they’re bracing for roadblocks ahead.

"If at any given time we are thinking this is going to be a bed of roses, absolutely not,” said Superintendent Clemen Perez-Lloyd.

But she said leaders hope the move will bring benefits both financially and educationally.

"We're going to do everything we can to make sure that it's a transition that works smooth, where the end of July comes and we're ready to go back in the classrooms that we're ready to continue the education of the children in both districts,” said Basham.

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