CRCSD administrators take on new duties amid cuts

Like many school districts faced with inadequate state and federal funding and declining enrollment, the Cedar Rapids Community School District is cutting its budget.

According to reporting by The Gazette’s Grace King, Cedar Rapids faces a $12 million budget deficit. So, cuts taking effect next school year are needed.

District leaders have looked for ways to reduce costs that don’t jeopardize classroom needs while finding new roles for staff with positions being eliminated.

Sixty teachers affected by staffing changes were placed in different roles for the upcoming school year. Other teaching positions were eliminated through attrition and retirement.

Nine secretaries, seven campus security staff, 14 behavior technicians, 26 permanent building substitutes and 30 paraeducator positions will be eliminated through attrition, retirements, unfilled vacancies, and layoffs.

District administrators are being cut by 11 percent, resulting in the loss of 17 vacant positions, including 10 people with jobs that were downsized. Chief data officer, academic officer, the chief of staff and the director of behavior supports were eliminated, saving the district $585,000.

But administrators will take on new roles and additional duties.

Some administrators who worked in eliminated positions are now taking over as chiefs of schools overseeing elementary, middle and high schools.

A couple of examples:

The chief of behavior supports becomes Area 2 school chief, while continuing to oversee behavior support, special education, safe and secure learning environments in addition to other assigned roles.

The operations director will take over technology oversight. The executive director of innovation will take on duties of the eliminated chief data officer.

We appreciate the willingness of administrators to take on new duties to soften the blow of budget reductions. Reduced staffing at the Educational Leadership and Support Center, the district’s administrative headquarters, will save $7 million.

“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,” said Superintendent Tawana Grover said.

We hope, eventually, Republican lawmakers who control the Statehouse will understand the effects of low-ball school funding. Public school budgets fund teachers and other school staff, so cutting spending means cutting people. Until then, the burden will be on local educators to make the funding work.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com