Cedar Rapids schools administrators will take on more duties to keep teachers amid staffing cuts

CEDAR RAPIDS — Administrators in the Cedar Rapids Community School District are “expanding” their roles to accommodate the 11 percent reduction in staffing at the leadership level beginning July 1.

The reduction in force ensures the district is “able to keep our resources where they matter most — at the classroom level with our students,” Superintendent Tawana Grover said.

Teachers, support staff among those positions impacted

Sixty teachers impacted by the district’s staffing changes were successfully placed in roles in the district for the 2025-26 school year. Some assignments involve different grade levels, subjects or school buildings.

Teaching positions in the district also were downsized through retirements and attrition.

The surplus process — which included redeploying affected employees to other roles within the organization — is part of the district’s long-standing bargaining agreement with the Cedar Rapids Education Association, the local teacher’s union.

Grover said the process was the “most human-centered” she’s experienced when reducing a workforce.

The staffing changes were made to adjust to a $12 million budget deficit that district officials said is the result of declining enrollment and inadequate state and federal funding.

Reducing staff at the school buildings will save the district $5 million. An additional $7 million is being reduced at the Educational Leadership and Support Center through staffing reductions and cutting back on department budgets and contracts for consultant services.

Dozens of other positions in school buildings are being reduced through attrition, retirement, unfilled vacancies and layoffs. As of Friday, that number included:

An additional 110 paraeducators are expected to be reduced next school year through attrition.

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Changes to district administrators

The 11 percent reduction of district administrators is resulting in 10 people being downsized. The other 17 positions being eliminated from the district were already vacant.

Positions being eliminated include chief data officer, chief academic officer, chief of staff, and executive director of behavior supports, a cost savings of $585,000.

One position being added is district deputy, a person who will act as “second in command” to Grover, Grover said.

The person in this role will be Karla Hogan, who also will maintain her current title of chief financial officer.

The Office of Academics is being restructured to continue to meet the needs of students, families and staff. Many responsibilities will be absorbed by the district’s three chiefs of schools.

“I’m really proud of our staff here being willing to expand their roles and take on a wealth of additional responsibilities to ensure we were able to keep our resources where they matter most, and that’s at the classroom level with our students,” Grover said.

The chiefs oversee one of three “areas” in the district that include elementary schools, middle schools and high schools.

Maura Hobson, Area 1 chief of schools, also is the chief of curriculum, instruction and assessment. She oversees mentoring and induction; professional learning and training teachers, principals and other school leaders; and magnet programming, which is specialized, theme-based learning in some schools.

Ryals Parker, who is currently executive director of behavior supports, will replace Linda Reysack as chief of schools for Area 2. Reysack is retiring this summer.

Parker also will be chief of behavior supports and supervise the executive director of special education and oversee early childhood education, safe and secure learning environments and behavioral supports.

Mark Timmerman will continue as chief of schools for Area 3 and oversee personalized programming. He will supervise the executive director of student services and oversee parent engagement, federal programs like Title 1 and Title 3, Gifted and Talented, athletics and activities, counseling services and health services.

Chad Schumacher, the district’s operation director, is adding technology to his role. This previously fell under the role of the chief data officer, a position that is being eliminated.

Adam Zimmermann, the district’s executive director of innovation, also is absorbing some responsibilities of the chief data officer and will continue to serve as principal of City View Community High School.

Grover said she “anticipates HR will bring everyone into alignment with these expanded goals,” but salary negotiations are not finalized.

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