College and Career Pathways in Cedar Rapids to ‘get better’ with community input

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids school officials are taking families’ questions and concerns into consideration as they continue to develop their plan for College and Career Pathways at four of their high schools.

At an informational meeting Monday night at Kennedy High School, families voiced concerns about the program, including transportation, who will teach the pathway classes and how staff will ensure equal opportunities for all students regardless of socioeconomic status or ability.

Superintendent Tawana Grover said school officials are taking the feedback they receive at public meetings this week to “get closer to the final plan.” More informational sessions will be held for families in January, she said.

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“This is the best draft we have, and it will get better with your input,” said Adam Zimmermann, executive director of innovation at the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

Hundreds of parents crowded the Kennedy cafeteria Monday to learn more about the program and ask questions of administrators in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. A second informational meeting was held Tuesday at Jefferson High School.

Families will have another chance to learn about the Pathways program Thursday from 6-7:30 p.m. at Washington High School, 2205 Forest Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids.

“We welcome questions and are eager to connect — whether through email or meetings with groups of any size. Our priority is to provide clarity about the design, intended outcomes, and the exciting opportunities we are working to create for our students,” district spokeswoman Heather Butterfield said in an email to The Gazette.

“We recognize there’s some misinformation circulating, and we want every parent to have the chance to understand the vision. This rollout is just the beginning, and your input will play a key role in shaping the next steps. Our ultimate goal is to build a system-wide model that equips, empowers and engages every student for a successful future,” Butterfield said.

Pathways a ‘big deal’ to families

Jennifer Perkins, parent to two sixth-graders at Franklin Middle School, said the program is a “big deal.” “It’s going to affect my kids by the time they get (to high school) in two and a half years,” she told The Gazette following the meeting Monday.

“I think it could be a really cool opportunity for some kids that otherwise would have zero direction after high school,” Perkins said. “My husband would have been one of those people, and he talked about how cool that would have been had they had something like this when he was in school, but I feel like there’s some trade offs.”

Each high school will offer different pathways starting in the fall 2026, giving students the opportunity to choose which high school they want to attend depending on what career field they’re interested in.

“My children will probably end up deciding where to go based on where their friends are going to school, and maybe not take full advantage,” Perkins said, adding that a lot of people buy homes based on what school they want their children to attend.

Jefferson, Kennedy, Washington and Metro high schools will offer slightly different Pathways, and students and their families can choose to enroll in a school and pathway outside of their attendance boundary.

“One of my questions that didn’t get answered — say my child decides to take something that’s offered at Jefferson and not at any of the other (high schools). Am I really sending him to Jefferson for one Academy class? No. It’s like, pick a different Academy,” Perkins said.

What are College and Career Pathways?

The Pathways program will launch first to freshmen next fall for the 2025-26 school year with Freshman Academies at Jefferson, Kennedy and Washington high schools.

The College and Career Pathways will launch during the 2026-27 school year, giving students the opportunity to choose classes in an field that interests them beginning in 10th grade.

Students will be required to take Freshman Seminar in ninth grade, followed by one or more academy elective courses their sophomore, junior and senior years of high school. It will culminate in a capstone opportunity for students such as an internship, apprenticeship or community project.

Students in the academies still will have the opportunity to participate electives, fine arts, and athletics. World languages and advanced classes, including Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment college courses, will be offered.

Jillian Schulte, director of magnet programming for Cedar Rapids schools, said the Freshman Academies will provide students individual advising experiences with school counselors “well-prepared to guide students” to make informed choices about the pathway they feel passionate about. The Freshman Academies will have their own entrances and wing of the building to create smaller learning communities.

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The pathways will “connect students to their learning with careers and life outside of school,” Schulte said.

Schulte said that needs of students in special education will continue to be met through the Pathways program. “We’ll have better relationships that will allow us to serve all our kids,” she said.

School officials are working on class descriptions that will be offered under each Pathway. They will then align teachers to teach those courses and provide them opportunities to be trained or get certified as needed, Schulte said.

Measuring Success of College and Career Pathways

The success of College and Career Pathways will be measured in the following ways:

“That’s a high bar. This is a promise,” Zimmermann said.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District dips below the state average in academic achievement, graduation rates and postsecondary readiness, according to the Iowa Performance Profile.

Families react

Transportation will be provided at no cost for students who select a pathway at a school other than their residential school. Pickup and drop-off locations will typically be the student’s resident attendance zone high school.

The transportation office is “actively working on plans to increase the number of drivers,” Butterfield said.

Under the plan, students can attend the high school that offers the Academy they’re interested in. Students within the residential area of each high school will have first pick of the Pathways at their high school. If a Pathway is reaching capacity, students can enter the magnet school lottery, a computer-generated, random process to select and accept students who live outside of a school’s attendance boundaries.

Cedar Rapids’ elementary and middle schools with magnet programs — that offer theme-based learning such as science, technology, engineering, arts and math; or leadership and entrepreneurship — already use the lottery system.

Lisa Leslein, who has a freshman at Kennedy and a sixth-grader at Harding Middle School, echoed concerns from several parents about the logistics of transporting students to a high school outside of their attendance boundary.

Leslein said she would like to see the district implement the program more slowly — like one academy at a time instead of introducing all the academies at once.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Leslein said.

Jessica Tiernan, who has a child that will be in ninth grade next fall, asked if the program is an “experiment.”

“I do think there’s good intentions behind it,” Tiernan said. “It sounds like a great program, but are they over promising and will under-deliver, and once again, my kid suffers the consequences of it?”

Sonja Woerner, 17, a senior at Kennedy High School, said she’s concerned the program will lead to the elimination of some classes in favor if classes offered through the Pathways program. She also wonders who will teach some of the more specialized classes in the Pathways program.

“I think they’re trying to do too much all at once, and it’s muddying the good parts,” Woerner said.

What are the Pathways?

Zimmermann said each school will offer different pathways, so as not to “limit” students’ options.

Jefferson High School: The College & Career Pathways will be Law & Human Services, Aviation & Engineering, and Environmental Science & Sustainability.

Kennedy High School: The College & Career Pathways will be the School of Liberal Arts. The academies under the School of Liberal Arts will be:

Metro High School: The College & Career Pathways will be the School of Health & Hospitality. This will include academies in Food Science & Urban Agriculture, Hospitality & Business, and Medical Laboratory Science.

Washington High School: College & Career Pathways will include the Schools of Medical Sciences, Business & Media, and Engineering & Technology.

Find more information

More information about the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s College and Career Pathways can be found online at crschools.us/college-and-career-pathways. The website offers information about Freshman Academies and College and Career Pathways, as well as sample high school schedules, frequently asked questions, and a portal to submit questions.

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