2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Marion Beech Grove School Board

3 seats on the Beech Grove City Schools's board are on this year's ballot, with 3 names on them, alongside a question for the same voters. Which seats appear on your ballot depends on where in the corporation you live.

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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]

What the law puts in this job (12)

Hires, evaluates and can dismiss the superintendent, and approves the hiring and firing of principals, teachers and other staff recommended by the superintendent ^{[1, 7, 3]}.
Adopts the annual budget, appropriates funds and oversees school finances ^{[1, 3]}.
Decides whether to ask voters to approve an operating referendum (an extra property tax levy); the board adopts the resolution and the Department of Local Government Finance reviews the ballot language for compliance with state law ^[8].
Approves contracts, buys and sells property, and decides on construction, repair and demolition of school buildings ^[1].
Bargains with the teachers' union over salary, wages and wage-related benefits such as health insurance and retirement; state law excludes teacher evaluation procedures from those bargaining subjects ^[9].
Writes and updates policies and rules for schools, often in a policy handbook, including the student handbook ^{[1, 3]}.
Buys curricular materials, provides them to students without charge, and runs programs such as student transportation and school lunch ^[1].
Must adopt a process for parents and residents to ask that library material be removed as obscene or harmful to minors, review requests at public meetings and keep a public catalog of library materials ^[10].
Hears written appeals of student expulsions, unless the board has voted not to hear them ^[11].
Must take official action openly; Indiana's Open Door Law says public agencies' official action is to be conducted openly so the people may be fully informed ^{[12, 13]}.
A school board member must have lived in the school corporation (and, for a district seat, the district) for at least one year before the election, and a teacher or other employee of the school corporation may not serve on its board ^[2].
What the board does not control: the State Board of Education adopts statewide academic standards ^[14], the General Assembly sets the state school funding formula in the state budget ^[15], and voucher (Choice Scholarship) eligibility is set by state law ^[16].

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.

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].
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].
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].
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].
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]}.
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]}.
2025
The state budget opened Choice Scholarship vouchers to all Indiana families starting in June 2026 ^[16].
2026
The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, rather than the Indianapolis Public Schools board, now certifies Indianapolis Public Schools referendum questions for the ballot ^[20].
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].
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 Beech Grove City Schools

Beech Grove City Schools (legally the School City of Beech Grove) serves Beech Grove on Indianapolis' southeast side in Marion County ^{[24, 25]}. It runs Beech Grove High School, Beech Grove Middle School, Central Intermediate, South Grove Elementary, Hornet Park Elementary, Hornet Park Early Childhood Center and K-12 virtual programs ^[26]. State counts show enrollment of 2,790 in 2024-25 and 5,481 in 2025-26; Chalkbeat described it in 2026 as a district of 'nearly 5,500 students,' up from about 3,000 in its 2022 and 2024 guides ^{[27, 24, 28, 29]}.
Superintendent: Dr. Laura Hammack, hired by a unanimous board vote in 2021 ^{[30, 28]}.
The board has seven members elected at large, so every voter in the district may vote for every open seat; terms are four years ^{[28, 29]}. Current members listed by the district: Jannis King (president), Tara Wolf (vice president), April Rinks (secretary), Beth Prindle, Brian Downard, Jill Laker and Madison West ^[26].
Seats on the 2026 ballot: three at-large seats, matching the state list's 'vote for 3' ^{[24, 6]}. These are the seats won unopposed in 2022 by Rob Challis, Jannis King and Rick Skirvin ^[28]. Downard was appointed in January 2024 to the vacancy left by Skirvin, and West was appointed in July 2026 to the seat vacated by Challis ^[24]. All three current holders are running and are unopposed, so all three will be elected ^{[24, 31]}. Winners serve from January 2027 through December 2030 ^{[24, 31]}.
Party labels: 2026 is the first year Indiana school board candidates could list a party; King is running as an Independent, while Downard and West did not declare a party ^{[24, 31, 6]}.
Operating referendum (Nov. 3, 2026): on June 17, 2026 the board approved putting an operating referendum on the ballot to replace the one voters approved in 2020 ^{[32, 30]}. The state-approved ballot question asks for a rate of up to 57 cents per $100 of assessed value, raising up to $4.4 million a year for up to eight years, for school bus transportation, facilities maintenance and student safety including school resource officers ^[25]. The question states that a median $200,000 home's tax bill would rise $493 a year ^[25]. The district says that because it replaces the 2020 levy, the median homeowner would pay slightly less than now (about $6.76 less in 2027) ^[30]; WRTV reported district documents showing an average increase of $1.25 a month ^[33].
Budget and SEA 1: Hammack told WRTV that the operations fund, which pays for transportation, utilities, maintenance, custodial services and school safety, is strained by property tax caps and that SEA 1 will reduce revenue as assessed values decline; the district expects about $4 million in annual cuts if the referendum fails ^[33]. A third-party summary of the July 15, 2026 meeting says the board voted to advertise the 2027 budget and reviewed transportation-lot security upgrades and an energy audit ^[34].
Forums: this guide found no 2026 candidate forum. Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI published a candidate survey; Downard and West answered and King did not respond ^[24]. Both respondents said they support the referendum ^[24].

Marion Beech Grove Public School Board, At Large

3 candidates, 3 seats · Vote for up to 3.

Brian Downard

Nonpartisan

Incumbent, appointed in January 2024; running unopposed for one of three at-large seats ^[24].

Downard's background

Works in aerospace engineering and has two children in Beech Grove schools ^[24].
Appointed to the board in January 2024 to fill the vacancy left by longtime member Rick Skirvin ^[24].

Downard's positions

Budget & taxes

Told Chalkbeat the district faces 'overwhelming impacts from the legislation and tax base,' has been 'doing more with less' and has an 'extremely thin budget' ^[24].
Said he 'absolutely support[s] the 2026 operating referendum,' saying the rate was designed to 'limit impact to our taxpayers,' and committed to asking only for what is needed ^[24].

Academics

Lists 'educational quality, academic experience, safety, and well-being' of students as priorities; said foundational literacy and math matter and that his focus is STEM and students' 'vocational callings' ^[24].

Transparency & community input

Said he is 'always willing to discuss any topic' and welcomes feedback on how to represent the community ^[24].

How Downard would run the office

Pass the operating referendum and keep improving operational efficiency; expand STEM opportunities ^[24].

Downard on the current officeholder

Is a current board member. He described his immediate focus as passing the 2026 operating referendum and continuing to improve operational efficiency ^[24].

How Downard got on the ballot

On the ballot without a party label; Chalkbeat reported he did not declare a party affiliation ^{[6, 24]}.

What we could not find about Downard

No campaign website, social media page or forum remarks were found.
Marion County campaign finance filings were not checked.
No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for Downard

Beech Grove school board voter guide 2026: Meet the 3 candidates (Chalkbeat Indiana / Mirror Indy / WFYI)

Jannis King

Independent

Incumbent and board president, on the board for more than a decade; running unopposed as an Independent ^{[24, 26]}.

King's background

Board president, on the board for more than a decade ^{[24, 26]}.
In 2022 Chalkbeat reported she worked as a part-time substitute teacher through Kelly Services and served as the school board's ex-officio appointee on the Beech Grove Parks and Recreation Board ^[28].
Was re-elected unopposed in 2022 and was among the members who unanimously hired Superintendent Laura Hammack in 2021 ^[28].

King on the current officeholder

Is a current board member and its president. She did not respond to multiple requests to complete the 2026 Chalkbeat/Mirror Indy/WFYI candidate survey, and no statement from her on the board's record was found ^[24].

How King got on the ballot

Listed as an Independent on the state candidate list ^{[6, 24]}.

What we could not find about King

No 2026 campaign statements, website, questionnaire answers or forum remarks were found; her positions are unknown.
Current occupation not confirmed since 2022.
Marion County campaign finance filings were not checked.
No endorsements or campaign finance reports were found.

Sources for King

Beech Grove school board voter guide 2026: Meet the 3 candidates (Chalkbeat Indiana / Mirror Indy / WFYI)

Madison West

Nonpartisan

Incumbent, appointed in July 2026; running unopposed for one of three at-large seats ^[24].

West's background

Works in government affairs and has three young children in the district ^[24].
Appointed in July 2026 to the seat vacated by Rob Challis; a third-party summary of the July 15, 2026 meeting says she was sworn in that night ^{[24, 34]}.

West's positions