Hunter
09/11/24
Member of the Iowa City Community School Board discussed a variety of school reconfiguration options at last night’s meeting.
The district is facing a number of challenges in the upcoming years, most importantly cuts in funding and a yearly decline in enrollment. They announced last week that they are in the beginning stages of reevaluating the organization of elementary schools in the city. That began with the closure of Hills Elementary as a cost-saving measure at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Options on the table currently include pairing of schools to balance class sizes, and repurposing existing buildings as early childhood learning centers or academy schools.
The Daily Iowan reported 13 concerned members of the district directly addressed the board during the community comment portion of the meeting. They indicated issues ranging from transportation troubles arising from the proposed changes to the belief that some schools were already planned to close down permanently.
Most said the proposed changes were not communicated well enough and would damage the communities each school has developed and stunt the academic and social growth opportunities for students.
In an e-mail shared with parents last week, Superintendent Matt Degner said that the discussions are in their beginning stages, and the district is committed to open discourse with families to identify the best course of action in the district.