Cedar Rapids schools: Petition asking to ‘slow down’ Pathways program invalid

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Community School District has determined a petition submitted last week asking the district to “slow down” implementation of its College & Career Pathways program is invalid.

The petition on change.org included insufficient eligible signatures, including many from outside Cedar Rapids and Iowa, according to a news release from the district Friday. As a result of the petition being rejected, the pathways program will not be added to the next school board agenda.

Iowa Code requires a school board to place requests on its agenda within 30 days of receiving a petition signed by 500 or more eligible voters.

Cedar Rapids district Superintendent Tawana Grover said that despite the petition’s invalidity, the district values feedback from the community.

“We deeply appreciate the engagement and passion families, educators and others in the community have shown for our College & Career Pathways program,” Grover said in a statement. “We are listening closely to the feedback and are committed to working together to ensure the program’s success.”

The petition was submitted last week during a school board meeting by Cedar Rapids parent Brooke Oja.

“I’ve taken time to talk to parents and staff around the district, and it’s apparent that we have questions that are not being answered,” Oja said during last week’s meeting. “Let’s hold off and continue to develop the plan, so that we don’t see failure. Our students are not guinea pigs.”

College & Career Pathways will launch next fall at Kennedy, Jefferson and Washington high schools with Freshman Academies designed to connect students to smaller learning environments where they can explore their career interests.

Ninth-graders will take core classes in the subjects of math, science, language arts and social studies in addition to a new “freshman seminar” aimed at preparing students for high school and life.

The following school year — 2026-27 — College & Career Pathways will be offered at four high schools, including Metro, which is not typically attended by freshmen. Staff are beginning to work on designing courses for these programs, Grover said.

“This program is designed to prepare students for their futures with a deliberate, thoughtful approach,” school board President Cindy Garlock said in a statement. “We look forward to continued conversations with parents and the community as we work together to support student success.”

The district invited parents and families to join its Parent Advisory Group that will begin meeting next year. Nearly 80 frequently asked questions have already been addressed on the district’s website to provide further clarity about the program.

Interested community members can visit crschools.us/frontpage/college-and-career-pathways to express interest in joining the committee. The site also has a frequently asked questions section.

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