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Will Cedar Rapids schools sell land to address shortfall?

Barbara Hannon

Jan. 16, 2026 3:17 pm

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The Cedar Rapids school board says the district has a $10 to $12 million budget shortfall and needs to close seven schools to make up for it. My question is what happened to the $7.5 million they dropped on a piece of property outside the city limits near Xavier High School for a new middle school?

Are they selling that land to recoup the money? This school board bought this land without asking the taxpayers and should not have done it, especially knowing they had a shortfall. Where is that money? Before closing down any schools maybe that should use that money first.

Barbara Hannon

Cedar Rapids

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