Cedar Rapids schools proposes $211 million bond referendum

CEDAR RAPIDS — Leaders of the Cedar Rapids public schools may ask voters this year to approve a nearly $211 million plan that would consolidate certain buildings and create a new middle school on the city's north side.

But first, they plan to poll potential voters about it. Residents should receive mailed surveys this week.

The move follows a failed referendum in 2023 that was more expensive — at $220 million — and lacked specifics about the new middle school.

Some voters also said the district’s decision to close Harrison Elementary School swayed their decision to oppose the bond. Since then, the school board has reversed that decision, saying instead it intends to renovate and expand the school in northwest Cedar Rapids.

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"We've learned quite a lot about what the community prefers," said Cindy Garlock, school board president of the Cedar Rapids Community School District. "We've adapted."

Last year, the district formed a Future Ready Facilities Task Force of parents, district staff, elected officials, business representatives and community members that has been meeting monthly since August to develop a new facility plan and determine next steps toward a possible bond referendum.

More than 80 community members, business leaders and school staff were invited to be on the task force. The meetings had an average attendance of 40 to 50 people, with new members joining each meeting, Chad Schumacher, the district’s director of operations, told The Gazette in December.

Task force members received information gathered by architects from Shive-Hattery and MA+ who last March toured all 32 schools in the Cedar Rapids district, assessing the buildings and the ways students and teachers use them for learning.

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The district also used a survey last year to solicit other input to form the new plan, which includes:

The proposed referendum would allow the district to borrow money for the projects and repay it over time. That is expected to increase property taxes that are paid to the district by about 16 percent during the repayment period, but the Cedar Rapids schools tax rate would still be lower than current rates for other area districts such as Linn-Mar and Marion.

The district estimates that people who own a house assessed at $200,000 would pay about $185 more each year for school district property taxes.

The building consolidations reflect declines in enrollment that have, over many years, diminished the efficient use of existing buildings. In total they are operating at about 61 percent of capacity, according to district figures.

Also, many of those buildings are aging and more expensive to heat and cool.

Enrollment in the Cedar Rapids district has declined about 19 percent in the past 25 years, according to state data. The district had recent notable declines after the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the adoption of the state's Education Savings Accounts program, which provides public funding for students to pay private school tuition.

The building consolidations are expected to save the district between $7 million and $10 million of operating costs annually, Schumacher said.

The surveys that will reach voters this week ask them to rank their support for the proposal. The responses — which can be submitted in person, by mail or online — are due March 5.

The bond referendum vote could be scheduled for November.

The four projects that are being considered as part of it "are all the ways that we thought we can address some of our needs and still honor the history within our community," Superintendent Tawana Grover said.

Comments: (319) 368-8541; jared.strong@thegazette.com