East Allen County School Board

What a school board does

A school board is the elected or appointed governing body of a public school corporation, the legal unit that runs a local school district ^{[1, 2]}. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts policies, and approves the annual budget, while the superintendent and staff run schools day to day ^[3]. Most boards have five or seven members serving staggered four-year terms ^[3]. Starting in 2026, candidates may list a political party, run as independents, or list no affiliation on the ballot, and there is no primary for these seats ^{[2, 4]}.

Term

4 years, with elections staggered so part of the board is chosen every two years ^[3]

Elected

At the November general election (November 3, 2026, or November 2028 for some seats); depending on the local organization plan, members represent the whole school corporation (at large) or a district within it, and some boards are wholly or partly appointed ^[2]

Ballot label

Each candidate chooses a party label, 'Independent', or no affiliation, shown next to the name; no primary and no straight-ticket voting for these races ^{[2, 4]}

Pay

Set by board resolution: an annual amount of no more than 10% of the lowest starting teacher salary in the school corporation, plus a capped per diem ^[5]

On the 2026 ballot

632 races in 276 school corporations; 1,035 candidates, 197 races contested ^[6]

The job in full — what the Indiana Code puts in it, what it pays, and what to ask a candidate.

What has changed in this job lately

Changes in the law the next officeholder will work under, most distant first.

1. 2025

   Senate Enrolled Act 287 allowed school board candidates to declare a party affiliation; the Indiana School Boards Association opposed the change, and a supporter quoted by WNDU, a Noblesville school board member, said it adds transparency ^[17].

2. 2026

   Candidates choose a party, 'Independent' or no affiliation on their nominating petition, and that choice appears on the ballot; a candidate claiming the Democratic or Republican party must have voted in that party's primary in the two most recent primaries they voted in, or have certification from the county party chair, or can be challenged and removed from the ballot ^[2].

3. July 2026

   Chalkbeat reported, citing Indiana School Boards Association data, that 524 of 1,044 candidates chose a party, about 72% of them Republicans ^[18]; the Indiana Election Division's 2026 guidance and the wording of the law differ on the primary-voting test, a question county election boards decide ^[19].

4. February 2026

   Senate Enrolled Act 25 set the order of school board candidates on the ballot, grouped by party, with candidates who list no affiliation placed after the party and independent candidates ^[20].

5. 2025

   Senate Enrolled Act 1, a property tax law, limits how much operating revenue districts can raise through taxes and restricts school referendums to statewide general elections in even-numbered years ^{[21, 22]}.

6. 2025

   The same law requires districts to share operating revenue with brick-and-mortar charter schools that enroll their students, statewide starting in 2028 ^{[21, 22]}.

7. 2025

   The state budget opened Choice Scholarship vouchers to all Indiana families starting in June 2026 ^[16].

8. 2026

   The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, rather than the Indianapolis Public Schools board, now certifies Indianapolis Public Schools referendum questions for the ballot ^[20].

9. 2023

   Senate Enrolled Act 391 changed the so-called $1 law so the Indiana Department of Education can order districts that lost at least 10% of enrollment over five years to close schools under 60% capacity and offer them to charter schools ^[23].

10. 2023

    House Enrolled Act 1447 required school districts to set up procedures for complaints that library material is obscene or harmful to minors ^[10].

About East Allen County Schools

• East Allen County Schools (EACS) serves eastern Allen County. Marilyn Hissong has led the district as superintendent since 2017 and was named Indiana Superintendent of the Year in 2023 ^[24].
• Board seats are tied to numbered districts with an R or E designation; the 2026 ballot has three seats, Districts 1R, 2E and 3E, one member each ^[6]. The same three district seats were on the 2022 ballot ^[25].
• All three members elected to these seats in 2022 are running again: Tim Hines (District 1R) and Pamela Dukes (District 3E) are unopposed, and Beth Wood (District 2E) is challenged by Joni Price, the only contested EACS race ^{[6, 26]}.
• Party labels: 2026 is the first year Indiana school board candidates could list a party. The state list shows Hines, Dukes and Price as Republicans and Wood as Nonpartisan ^[6].
• Budget: in the fall of 2024 the board approved a $161 million budget for 2025, including about $94 million for the education fund, more than $37 million for operations and about $30 million for debt service; the chief financial officer said construction costs go into the debt service plan because the district's schools are at capacity ^[27].
• Facilities: the district broke ground on a new Leo fieldhouse in June 2025, with completion expected in October or November 2026 ^[28]. Other projects named in district coverage include a new Leo Intermediate School and a new Southwick Elementary building ^[27].
• No 2026 candidate forum, questionnaire or campaign coverage was found in freely available sources. Local coverage (The Journal Gazette) could not be reviewed for this profile.

District 1R

Unopposed

District 2E

2 candidates

District 3E

Unopposed

Key points

• East Allen County Schools (EACS) serves eastern Allen County. Marilyn Hissong has led the district as superintendent since 2017 and was named Indiana Superintendent of the Year in 2023. (WBOI)
• Board seats are tied to numbered districts with an R or E designation; the 2026 ballot has three seats, Districts 1R, 2E and 3E, one member each. The same three district seats were on the 2022 ballot. (Indiana Election Division)
• All three members elected to these seats in 2022 are running again: Tim Hines (District 1R) and Pamela Dukes (District 3E) are unopposed, and Beth Wood (District 2E) is challenged by Joni Price, the only contested EACS race. (Indiana Election Division)

Sources