Southeast Dubois 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 Southeast Dubois Co Sch Corp

• The district: Southeast Dubois County School Corporation is based in Ferdinand in Dubois County ^{[24, 25]}. Its schools include Forest Park Jr./Sr. High School, Cedar Crest Intermediate, Ferdinand Elementary and Pine Ridge Elementary ^[24]. State enrollment counts were 1,308 students in 2018-19 and 1,243 in 2025-26 ^[26]. Dr. Jamie Pund is superintendent ^[27].
• The board: five members. The district lists Matt Eckert (president), Kent Uebelhor (vice president), Elaine Miller (secretary), Nate Schuler (assistant secretary) and Matt Luebbehusen (at-large member) ^[24].
• Seats on the 2026 ballot: Districts B and D, each with one candidate, so both races are uncontested ^[6]. Neither candidate, Renae A. Verkamp (District B) nor Tiffany B. Leonard (District D), is on the district's current board list, so both seats will go to new members; this guide did not confirm which current members hold Districts B and D ^{[6, 24]}.
• Party labels: Renae A. Verkamp is listed as an Independent and Tiffany B. Leonard as Nonpartisan ^[6].
• Referendum (Nov. 3 ballot): Southeast Dubois asks voters to renew, two years early, the operating referendum approved in 2020, at the same maximum rate of 19 cents per $100 of assessed value, for 2027-2034 and up to $1,242,788 a year ^{[25, 28]}. The district says the new levy would replace the existing one and is 'not an additional referendum or a request for additional funding' ^[28]. The ballot language says a $200,000 median home's bill would fall by $164 a year if the renewal is not approved, once the current levy ends ^[25]. See the referendum explainer on this ballot for details.
• How the referendum came about: on May 13, 2026 the board voted 5-0 to authorize the administration to investigate a referendum after a presentation on SEA 1 ^[27]; it adopted the renewal resolution on June 3, 2026, and the vote count was not found in an official record ^[29]. The district says it is renewing now because SEA 1 limits when referendums can be held ^[28]. A Legislative Services Agency estimate put SEA 1's effect on the district's net levy at -$337,130 in 2026 and -$485,440 in 2028 compared with prior law ^[30].
• Forums: this guide found no 2026 candidate forum or questionnaire for these races. A Dubois County Free Press candidate roundup could not be read for this profile (access denied).

District B

Unopposed

District D

Unopposed

On the same ballot

• Southeast Dubois County Schools operating referendum renewal

  School renewal · Southeast Dubois County School Corporation

  Renew the 2020 operating referendum early, at the same $0.19 per $100 for 8 years (2027-2034), up to $1.24 million a year.

Key points

• The district: Southeast Dubois County School Corporation is based in Ferdinand in Dubois County. Its schools include Forest Park Jr./Sr. High School, Cedar Crest Intermediate, Ferdinand Elementary and Pine Ridge Elementary. (Southeast Dubois County School Corporation)
• The board: five members. The district lists Matt Eckert (president), Kent Uebelhor (vice president), Elaine Miller (secretary), Nate Schuler (assistant secretary) and Matt Luebbehusen (at-large member). (Southeast Dubois County School Corporation)
• Referendum (Nov. 3 ballot): Southeast Dubois asks voters to renew, two years early, the operating referendum approved in 2020, at the same maximum rate of 19 cents per $100 of assessed value, for 2027-2034 and up to $1,242,788 a year. (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance)

Sources