GARY, Ind. (AP) — The Gary School Board wants to ask city taxpayers to approve a $51.8 million referendum to help bail out the financially troubled district.

The school board voted 6-1 Friday in favor of an amended resolution after the Indiana Department of Local Government and Finance ordered two changes in the wording of a resolution approved January 27th. The amended version restates the purpose of the referendum for “funding teaching positions, staff positions, and educational programming.”

Interim chief executive financial officer Michael Washington said the district is $81 million in debt. Indiana Schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz described Gary schools as being in in “dire circumstances” during a meeting Thursday.

The proposed referendum still needs to be approved by several government agencies before being placed on the May 5th ballot.