SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- On Thursday, Indiana Senate Bill No. 248, authored by Sen. Linda Rogers, Sen. Jeff Raatz, Sen. Ryan Mishler, and Sen. Stacey Donato, was introduced.

The bill would affect how members become part of the board for South Bend Community School Corporation.

If passed, the bill would take effect on July 1, at which point members of the board would be appointed by the Indiana Secretary of Education following a nomination process.

 SBCSC released the following statement regarding the bill:

“The South Bend Community School Corporation is aware that legislation affecting the district has been introduced. As the bill was filed today, the district is reviewing the proposal and will continue to monitor the legislative process. Additional comments will be made as necessary, particularly as the public needs to be aware of the impact on local parents and their children.”

You can view the full bill proposal below:

Rep. Maureen Bauer (Mishawaka and South Bend) released the following statement regarding Senate Bill No. 248:

"I am aware of the legislation filed by State Senator Linda Rogers that would fundamentally change how the South Bend school board is selected, shifting it from an elected body to one appointed by the state. I am deeply concerned by this proposal, which moves decision making away from local voters and toward a centralized, state run model of governance. Decisions about our schools should remain rooted in local control, with transparency, accountability, and meaningful input from the community they serve.

That said, I am actively engaging with legislators and all parties involved to fully understand the intent of this bill and to advocate for outcomes that truly serve South Bend students, families, and educators. Our shared goal should always be strengthening public education and supporting the children and communities who rely on it.

I strongly encourage residents to stay engaged, review the bill, and make their voices heard by contacting members of the Senate Elections Committee. If you are able, please consider coming to the Statehouse to testify and share your concerns in person. Public participation matters, and this decision should not be made without the voices of the people most impacted."

Dr. Jeanette McCullough, at-large member and president of the South Bend Community School Corporation Board of Trustees, released the following statement regarding Senate Bill 248:

“As a member of the South Bend Community School Corporation Board of Trustees, I believe deeply that the people of this community deserve a direct voice in how their public schools are governed. Senate Bill 248 would remove that voice by replacing an elected school board with an appointed one, a change that carries serious long-term consequences for transparency, accountability, and public trust.

Public schools are funded by the public, serve the public, and should be governed by representatives chosen by the public. An appointed board selected through a nominating commission made up largely of political and business interests shifts decision-making power away from families, educators, and voters.

It concentrates authority in the hands of a small group of individuals who are not directly answerable to the community. While many of the organizations named in the proposed nominating commission play valuable roles in our region, they do not replace the democratic legitimacy that comes from elections. Families deserve the ability to remove school board members who do not reflect their priorities. Under this bill, that accountability disappears.

Appointed members could serve multiple terms without ever facing voters whose children and tax dollars are affected by their decisions. Transforming the current board into an advisory body with no governing authority would silence the voices of those elected to represent neighborhoods, parents, and students. Advisory boards can be ignored; elected boards cannot.

If the goal is to strengthen our schools, there are many ways to do so, including collaboration, investment, and community engagement. Removing democratic governance is not one of them.

Our community deserves a school board that is accountable to the people, not appointed through a process that distances decision-making from those most affected.

For these reasons, I oppose Senate Bill 248 and urge lawmakers to preserve the right of South Bend residents to elect their school board and maintain direct control over the future of their public schools.”