Iowa City school board to consider closing Hills Elementary amid budget constraints

IOWA CITY — The Iowa City school board will vote next month on whether to close Hills Elementary School this fall — one of several recommendations made by school leaders as they prepare to trim $7.5 million in district expenses over the next two years.

Closing Hills Elementary, 301 Main St. in Hills, would save the district about $1.66 million, according to board documents. The more than 100 students currently enrolled there would be sent to different elementary schools — likely Alexander and Weber elementary schools, Superintendent Matt Degner said during a board meeting Tuesday.

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“I do believe our kids will be successful in another school in the district. We have great facilities and great staff that are creating those great stories you heard at the microphone tonight,” Degner said, referring to the dozens of people who advocated for Hills Elementary during public comment.

Speakers included Hill Mayor Tim Kemp, parents and residents. The boardroom was filled with about 50 people.

If Hills closes, its teachers and staff would have the option of being reassigned to another school in the district, and students still would have access to the services they get now at Hills, including preschool.

School officials cited budget constraints and overall declining enrollment in the district as the reason to consider closing Hills, the smallest elementary school in the district. The recommendations made to reduce the district’s budget are expected to be voted on by the school board at its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. March 26 at the Educational Services Center, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City.

School board indicates support

Some board members indicated support in closing the elementary school, which has the highest cost per-student and lowest enrollment of schools in the district.

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Board member Lisa Williams said she would make the decision to close an elementary school over other budget reduction ideas, like letting teachers go. “I’m not willing to fire people when there are other places we can make cuts,” she said.

“We are operationally inefficient in several areas, and we have to fix that. Otherwise, we have to cut our people, and we have to cut our programs. To me, operational efficiency is going to be what I focus on.” Williams said. “Yes, we’re focusing on Hills tonight, but we are going to have to look at retiring more schools potentially next year.”

Degner said there are no recommendations at this time to close any of the district’s other elementary schools.

Board member JP Claussen said if Hills closes, those students still will be “at the best school district in the state of Iowa.”

“They will have a great education experience. I know what that means personally, and I know what happens when you lose it. This is not easy. I’m not even saying I’ve decided,” Claussen said.

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Why close Hills?

Enrollment at Iowa City elementary schools next year is projected to be 70 percent of the district’s capacity. This leaves about 3,000 open spots for elementary students.

A large portion of the projected decline in elementary enrollment can be attributed to the plan to move sixth-graders from the district’s elementary schools to its middle schools this fall, a change approved by the school board in February 2022.

The anticipated enrollment next year at Hills for PK-5th grade is 126 students, with a capacity of 200 students. The cost per student is projected to be just over $7,000, about $1,000 more than the district’s anticipated average cost per elementary student.

For the 2021-22 school year, 70 percent of Hills Elementary students were bused to the school from areas north of Hills, the southern portion of Iowa City and unincorporated parts of Johnson County. Only about 45 students who attend Hills live in the town. About 30 percent of Hills’ students are English Language Learners whose first language is not English.

District officials did explore other options for Hills, including the feasibility of transferring other students into Hills, according to board documents. They found this doesn’t make fiscal sense because while it would decrease the cost per pupil at Hills, it would increase transportation costs and per-pupil spending at the other schools.

The Iowa City district is not alone in needing to reduce costs. Earlier this month, Des Moines Public Schools officials announced the need to avoid at least $14 million in expenses from its budget. Last year, the Cedar Rapids Community School District trimmed $2 million from its general fund budget.

Like many school districts in Iowa, Iowa City schools has faced declining enrollment since the pandemic began in spring 2020. During the 2019-2020 school year, the district had an enrollment of about 14,500 students. This dropped to 14,200 students during the 2020-21 school year, and rebounded to 14,440 students this year.

Other cost-saving recommendations

Other recommendations to reduce expenses include adjusting the district’s Weighted Resource Allocation Model, which is used to control class sizes based on rates of students who face barriers in their education. This would result in a reduction of seven full time educators, a $630,000 savings.

In an interview earlier this month with The Gazette, Deputy Superintendent Chase Ramey said reductions in teaching staff would be made through attrition. Reducing an additional five teachers through normal attrition would be a $450,000 savings.

Finally, school officials proposed increasing employee insurance contributions, an additional $770,000 in savings to the district. Certified staff would pay $50 a month with a single plan, and classified staff would pay $40 a month for a single plan.

Long-term recommendations

Degner introduced some options for the future that could create long-term cost savings.

One option is to pair schools to increase operational efficiency. For example, instead of having a K-5 elementary school, there would be schools for K-3rd graders and schools for 4-5th graders to increase class flexibility. He also suggested closing some elementary schools and reopening them as preschool centers.

Another option is to revisit elementary attendance zones with the focus on efficiency.

Alternate recommendations

School officials also made alternative recommendations, which could have a more negative impact on students’ experience.

One would be to cut an additional 45 teachers, a savings of $3.2 million. However, Degner said this would increase class sizes and potentially lead to cutting programs.

Another option would be to eliminate 13 bus routes, a savings of $750,000.

Finally, Degner said the board could consider entirely eliminating the Weighted Resource Allocation Model, which would make equal elementary class sizes in the district. For example, kindergarten classes would be 26 students, first and second grade would be 28 students and third through fifth grade would be 32 students. This would save $650,000

School board members, however, spoke about the value of the model.

“We’ve seen the difference it makes. It’s hard to put a price on the educational outcomes,” Claussen said.

Families respond

During the public comment period, kids, parents and community members shared their desire to see Hills Elementary remain open.

“Why is Hills chosen as the sacrificial lamb?” said Mayor Kemp, noting that the district talks about “equity for all.”

Marcela Urtado, who has a child attending Hills, said it’s a good place for students who are immigrants. The small student body enables teachers to give students one-on-one attention, she said.

“Please don’t close the school,” Urtado said in translated Spanish.

Ana Cano, who has a daughter at Hills, said she is “sad and disappointed” that the school could close. At Hills, her daughter is surrounded by other students from Spanish-speaking households. She appreciates that her daughter can communicate in both English and Spanish in school and become bilingual. Cano said she is worried her daughter and won’t receive the same education elsewhere.

Jolene O’Brien, 11, a sixth-grader at Hills, said teachers there supported her in “catching up” in reading and speech.

“I had a teacher who always told me I had style, and I was fabulous when I wore princess dresses and floppy hats to school. He built my self-esteem, and I will never forget him. I feel safe and protected at Hills,” Jolene said.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com