116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Cedar Rapids school board advances two models that would consolidate, reconfigure school buildings
Six elementary schools could close under the proposed plans to save $6 million annually
Feb. 10, 2026 12:39 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CEDAR RAPIDS — Two alternative school options — an intermediate school model and a 5-8 middle school model — will continue to be studied for viability in an effort to consolidate and close schools to reduce annual budget costs, the Cedar Rapids school board agreed Monday in a 5-2 vote.
In a second vote, the board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing further research and evaluation of the two models before a final decision is made in April. This includes a professional boundary analysis, comprehensive enrollment projections and strategies to support student transitions through the K-12 system.
Only one of the proposed models might be brought back to the board if the other model is not found to be viable after further study, board members agreed.
Six elementary schools could close under either plan in an effort to reduce $6 million from the district’s annual budget. Under either plan, these schools could be Wright, Cedar River Academy, Cleveland, Grant and Nixon elementary schools and Truman Early Learning Center, which serves preschoolers.
Changes would not begin to be implemented until fall 2027.
With this vote, the district is no longer considering a proposed two high school model that would close a high school and reconfigure it into a junior high that serves seventh through ninth grades.
School board members Cindy Garlock and Ashley Burns voted “no” to advancing the intermediate and 5-8 model, voicing concerns that leaving more options on the table continues to create “uncertainty” for families and staff.
Other board members championed moving the two models forward, despite lack of support from school building leaders.
“It seems clear to me enough people in our community still embrace the 5-8 model that if we just kill it tonight, that feels like a disservice to our community,” school board member David Tominsky said.
School board member Laura Zimmerman said it’s “hard to let go” of the 5-8 model because she doesn’t feel like it has been properly “vetted.”
“The weight of this decision is pretty big. It’s going to affect our kids for a long, long time,” she said.
Cedar Rapids schools Superintendent Tawana Lannin — previously Grover — said the district’s budget challenges have given school leaders a chance “to be thoughtful, deliberate and build something that serves students and the community for years to come.”
Johnson STEAM Academy to remain open
Johnson STEAM Academy would not be considered for closure under either the intermediate or 5-8 model, the board agreed.
Johnson families and educators have taken to school board meetings in force over the last month, imploring the school board keep their school open.
Johnson is one of the more diverse schools in the Cedar Rapids district. Forty-two percent of students are Black, almost 10 percent are Hispanic, 15 percent are multiracial and almost 33 percent are white, according to the 2025 Iowa School Report Card.
Almost 17 percent of students have an Individualized Education Plan, 12 percent are English Language Learners and 70 percent come from families with low socioeconomic status.
Weston Greene, a fourth-grader at Johnson, addressed the school board Monday, describing how students welcome newcomers to the school. Weston said recently, students learned about writing poetry from a professional poet and performed their poems in a local coffee shop.
“There are a lot of good things to say about JSA,” Weston said. “The teachers are nice, and the kids are nice. JSA includes everyone … We are goal getters. Teachers make sure the kids know their test scores, so they can see how they improved. Without JSA, this community would not be the same.”
“I have come to love Johnson during this time. It’s an amazing school, and if you have a thought about Johnson and it’s not 100 percent positive, erase it and start over,” said Scott Drzycimski, vice president of the school board.
School board member Kaitlin Byers spoke about the wealth of diversity in the Cedar Rapids district, especially compared to surrounding districts in Cedar Rapids and Marion. In the Cedar Rapids district, there are students from 65 countries who speak 70 languages, and the district is 57 percent white, Byers said. Forty percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.
“From my vantage point, we have the best kids, because we have the most diverse kids,” Byers said.
“Part of our jobs as public servants is to actively practice empathy, doing our very best to understand the fear, stress and anxiety that our decisions have on families across the city, especially those carrying more than their fair share. Public schools only work when we choose ‘we’ over ‘me.’ Charter schools aren’t going away anytime soon. Vouchers aren’t going away anytime soon. State funding is quite low. We will continue to be vocal at the state level, but right now, the question isn’t whether we like these realities, it’s how we respond to them,” Byers said.
“There’s nowhere else I would choose to send my kids because the empathy and perspective they gain here matters just as much as test scores,” she said.
How did we get here?
The district is reducing its spending after more than a decade of declining enrollment — exacerbated by a sudden and unexpected enrollment drop of 622 students this year — and few budget reductions made in that time.
Last month, the Cedar Rapids school board approved a plan to reduce almost $13 million from the district’s annual budget, but more spending cuts are needed.
An initial recommendation in January to close up to seven schools and move to the intermediate model was met with hesitation by the school board. They asked that more options be explored.
In another meeting last month, a community coalition brought back to the school board three models — including the intermediate model — for consideration.
“Transparency can be messy,” school board President Jen Neumann said. “I feel like we deluged people with information, but I think it’s better to provide the information than make the decisions behind closed doors and share the details later.”
School boundaries, transportation other factors to be studied
The resolution unanimously approved by the school board establishes a framework for researching, advancing and recommending an alternative school model.
The district is partnering with demographer RSP & Associates to conduct a professional boundary analysis and provide comprehensive enrollment projections under the proposals left on the table — the intermediate and 5-8 school models.
A Strategic Planning Executive Committee will be convened to provide a final recommendation to the school board. The committee will examine the model to:
- Ensure a true feeder pattern can be achieved while maintaining reasonable geographic proximity for families;
- Take into account existing high school boundaries and balance enrollment as much as possible;
- Ensure maximum long-term financial impact;
- Ground it in rigorous research and tailor it to the unique academic, demographic and operational context of the Cedar Rapids district;
- Maintain current class size cap expectations across all grade levels;
- Include a plan for buildings to be modernized and maintained over time to provide safe and secure learning environments that meet programming needs for all students;
- Include ongoing community input and engagement.
The final recommended model or models must include:
- A comprehensive implementation and transition framework that clearly addresses student transitions;
- Guidelines for intra-district transfers and permits; operational plans to ensure reliable and equitable student transportation;
- And continuity of services and specialized programming for students with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.
Garlock said it’s important the district study whatever renovation costs might be associated with reconfiguring schools.
“Yes, we’re going to save money if we close buildings, but what are the additional costs to replace the tiny toilets or add a playground?” Garlock asked.
The intermediate model
The intermediate school model proposes to create intermediate schools that serve fifth and sixth grade, and middle schools that serve seventh and eighth grade. Elementary schools would serve preschool through fourth grade and high schools would remain the same, serving 9-12th grade.
There have been two options presented under the intermediate school model. The board advanced option two, which proposes keeping Pierce Elementary School open.
Members of the community coalition said the model predicts cost savings, but there are concerns about preserving community school structures and additional costs like facility upgrades, transportation expenses and the future use of closed buildings.
The coalition and school board members stressed the importance of creating a plan that addresses student transitions from elementary to intermediate to middle school to high school to ensure maximum student success.
School leaders say that some of the challenges of transitioning schools could be mitigated in this model since students will go through the K-12 system in a true feeder pattern. Different elementary schools will converge at one intermediate school and from there students would continue through the system together up through high school.
Under current attendance boundaries, students who go to one elementary school might go to different middle schools than their peers. Students at one middle school then could go to different high schools. This means students transition multiple times and have to reestablish friend groups throughout their K-12 education.
The fifth through eighth grade model
In the fifth through eighth grade model, elementary schools would serve preschool through fourth grade, middle schools fifth through eighth grade and high schools ninth through 12th grade. Under this model, the district also would create a true feeder pattern.
While the model would mean one less building transition for students, principals voiced concerns about having fifth-graders in the same school as eighth-graders, citing their developmental differences.
Condra Allred, principal of Cleveland Elementary School, said she does not want to be a principal of a 5-8 building.
“Our buildings aren’t built that way. I have a lot of objections with the model itself,” Allred said.
Jessica Johnson, principal of Harding Middle School, said she is unsure if the model would result in the same robust opportunities an intermediate model could offer. With fewer students in each grade in a 5-8 building, she questioned if schools would be able to support full sports teams, for example.
Jennykaye Hampton, principal of Johnson STEAM Academy, said she has been a principal of a 5-8 building in another district. “I was basically running two buildings in one,” she said.
“I’m saying it would be really hard. I don’t think there’s anyone here who wouldn’t do the work. We want to do what’s best for kids,” Hampton said.
Support, opposition and concerns from the community
Allred said that while teachers and staff at Cleveland don’t want to see the school close, they understand that, “We can’t all stay open.”
“Cleveland is a special place. You won’t find a place that has teachers with more passion or grit, and you will not find students who are more valued or nurtured to be the best versions of themselves. We have had tremendous academic growth over the last year, as well as behavior improvements. While no school wants to close — none of us do — the amazing staff at Cleveland understand that it is necessary to keep our district strong,” Allred said during public comment Monday.
“My staff has a different perspective than many in this room tonight. They want decisions made and made quicker. With decisions made, we will know where our students and staff will land, and they will be able to plant their roots and become bigger and stronger and better,” Allred said.
“That’s my school,” Drzycimski said, fighting back tears. “That’s where I went to school. I still got a kid there. This is personal, and it impacts all of us. I would do anything if I could — snap my fingers and make it go away. We can’t do that. If there were an easy solution, I promise you, I’d head in that direction.”
“It isn’t brick and mortar that makes a school, it’s the people,” said Rachel Faust, an instructional coach in the Cedar Rapids district and parent to children at Viola Gibson Elementary School.
“I feel fierce pride for my children’s home, but what makes Gibson home — or any other building in our district a home — isn’t the infrastructure, it’s the people.” Faust said. “... Consolidation is not an admission of defeat, it’s a courageous reinvestment.”
“Let’s demonstrate that we aren’t just moving students,” Faust said. “We are intentionally transplanting cultures and communities we built, melding them into something beautiful that draws families to us. The walls may change, but if we prioritize our people, the promise of an exceptional education will remain steadfast and strong.”
Adam Chittenden, a parent to children at Pierce Elementary School, questioned why the district is proposing to close schools instead of selling the almost 51 acres of property they purchased last year for $7.5 million.
The sale of the property would be a one-time cash infusion, while closing schools will result in annual cost savings, school leaders say. The funding stream used to purchase the land — the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) — is different from what is used to pay teachers. PPEL cannot be used for teacher or staff salaries under Iowa law.
Chittenden threatened that if the district closes schools, more families will leave for neighboring districts like College Community and Linn-Mar.
“Pierce isn’t just a building — it’s a high performing school, one of the best in the state. It’s a diverse, successful community that feeds directly into Kennedy. When you propose rightsizing by closing schools like this, you aren’t saving on utility bills, you are destroying property values and severing long-standing community ties,” Chittenden said.
Megan Himes, president of the parent teacher organization at Truman Early Learning Center, voiced concern that the district would not be able to replicate what Truman offers 4-year-olds by opening preschool classrooms at every elementary school. She questioned how many schools would be able to offer full day programs and before and after child care, which Truman currently offers families for a fee.
“Closing Truman, you take away kids’ access to use the gym, music room, art room, library and cafeteria, all of which are transitions in hallways … When you really look at the opportunities Truman offers, it is better for our kids and our staff. Preschool can have the feeling of not being included in an elementary building. At Truman, teachers collaborate closely,” Himes said.
“This board has always been supportive of a strong preschool program, and I don’t want to see that diminished in any way. Whatever we do, we have to make sure we’re maintaining or expanding access to preschool,” Garlock said.
Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com
Daily Newsletters