Information on May 2026 Ballot Issue

I am reaching out to provide you with an invitation to another information night regarding the 1% earned income tax on the May 5th ballot. We will be at Shawnee Middle/High School on Tuesday, April 28th from 6-7 PM to answer any question you may have and review a few key topics that we have received questions about recently. Some of those questions are outlined below.

WHAT HAPPENS TO PAY-TO-PARTICIPATE & SCHOOL FEES IF THE LEVY PASSES?

We know that pay-to-participate and general school fees have increased over the past several years. These fees were raised as part of the district’s overall efforts to offset the deficit spending we have been experiencing for the past 3 years. If the levy passes on May 5th, the need to maintain these increases will go away. The Board of Education has approved reductions of pay-to-participate and general school fees contingent upon passage of the levy. See the updated rates below:

• Current Fees
  • Pay-to-Participate–$250 per HS sport & $125 per MS sport with a family cap of $500.
  • General School Fees–$70-$100 per student based on grade level. (This does not include course fees.)
• Fee Reductions if Levy Passes
  • Pay-to-Participate–$100 per HS sport & $50 per MS sport with a family cap of $200.
  • General School Fees–$30 for all students. (This does not include course fees.)

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE DISTRICT MOVES TO STATE MINIMUM TRANSPORTATION?

Yellow school buses are a safe and efficient way to transport students to school each day. Because of our current financial situation, all areas of the district must be examined for potential savings. If the levy issue fails on May 5th, the district will move to state minimum transportation for the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Here are the details associated with state minimum transportation:

• There will be no transportation to school for students in grades 9-12.
  • There will be a shuttle that will transport students from Shawnee MS/HS to GISA and the CTC. Students in grades 9-12 must catch this shuttle at Shawnee MS/HS as they will not be transported from their homes to the school.
• There will be no transportation for students in grades K-8 who live less than two miles from their assigned school.
  • The district will measure a two-mile radius from each school building. Students living within the two-mile radius will not be eligible for district transportation to and from school.

We look forward to seeing you at the informational meeting on April 28th. Email any questions you may have to levy@cslocal.org and we will work to answer them as quickly as possible. 

Sincerely,
Brian Kuhn
Superintendent
Clark-Shawnee Local Schools