The Cedar Rapids Community School District is looking to refresh our strategic plan, leading the district on a course of the next seven years. This new path forward will build a sustainable enrollment plan in response to short and long term trends. This plan will right-size our school district to align our facilities.
Development of CRCSD Strategic Plan
We are asking for stakeholder engagement and input. Our planned outcomes is to collect insights on perceptions of strategic priorities and planning considerations from stakeholders in context of enrollment and financial realities. Our plan is to survey internal and external stakeholders perceptions of designed programming, opportunities for rightsizing, and reductions.
Engagement Timeline
Board Special Meeting
January 19, 2026
The Board of Education held a Special Board Meeting in Cedar D of the Educational Leadership and Support Center.
Regular Board Meeting and Work Session
January 12, 2026
The Board of Education held a regular Board Meeting and work session in Cedar D of the Educational Leadership and Support Center.
Key Resources
Family Communication & Survey
January 9, 2026
The following message and survey was sent to all CRCSD families on January 9, 2026
Dear Families,
We know that for every family in our district, the most important question is: “Where will my child attend school in the coming years?” Currently, our district is evaluating a significant proposal to “right-size” our facilities. This plan involves two major shifts: transitioning to a new Intermediate School model with separate buildings for PK-4, 5-6, & 7-8 and consolidating several schools. These changes are designed to move us away from a model where resources are spread thin across 31 buildings, and toward a more sustainable structure that allows the district to stabilize finances while still prioritizing student success and opportunities.
Important: This is a Proposal
It is vital to remember that nothing is final yet. The plans being shared with you today to possibly consolidate schools and redraw boundaries are proposals that the Board of Education will hear for the first time at their meeting on Monday, January 12th. The Board is scheduled to vote on these facilities changes on January 26. Until that action is taken, these maps, school lists, and implementation dates are subject to change based on further discussion and community feedback.
The Case for Change: Investing in Classrooms, Not Empty Seats
To ensure the long-term health of our district and provide the best education possible, we must address our current footprint:
- The Reality of “Empty Seats”: We currently have 3,500 empty seats across the district. Eleven of our schools are operating at under 70% capacity.
- Redirecting Resources: Maintaining underutilized buildings costs the district millions of dollars annually in unnecessary maintenance and operations. Consolidating a single building can save an estimated $1M per year—money that can be redirected back into our classrooms for teacher salaries, student technology, and academic support.
- Sustainability: Doing nothing is no longer an option. By right-sizing, we ensure that every building—from elementary to high school—is operating at an ideal capacity that supports a full range of elective offerings and support staff.
Why the Intermediate Model?
A major part of this proposal is the move to separate buildings for Grades 5–6. This model was selected based on clear feedback from our community and staff surveys because it:
- Specialized Learning: It allows us to create age-appropriate curriculum and social-emotional supports specifically for students in those “bridge” years between elementary and middle school.
- Increased Access: In this model, students are more likely to have full-time access to music, art, and PE specialists, as well as counselors and nurses who aren’t splitting their time between multiple campuses.
- Strengthens Community: It establishes clear “feeder patterns,” so families know exactly which schools their children will attend from preschool all the way through graduation.
Proposed Options
The following proposal for school consolidations and feeder patterns will be presented to the board on Monday, January 12th. Based on board input, we will next work on options for redrawing school boundaries that would determine where students may attend school in the future:
*Truman Early Learning Center would also close, and preschool would be moved into existing elementary schools.
Options for a Phased Consolidation Timeline
The board will also consider the timeline for implementing the intermediate model and school consolidation including:
- Do we start in the Fall of 2026 or Fall of 2027
- So we phase consolidation over 2 or 3 years
There are limiting variables to consider, such as when construction of Hoover, Van Buren, and Harrison will be complete and the capacity of our operations team to prepare buildings for staff and students.
| IDEA #1 | IDEA #2 | IDEA #3 | IDEA #4 | |
| Fall 2026 | Consolidate Area 1 | Prep Year (Ability to wait is dependent on other budget reductions made by the board) | Consolidate Area 1 | Options Based on Feedback |
| Fall 2027 | Consolidate Area 2 | Consolidate Area 1, 2, or 3 | Consolidate Area 2 & 3 | Options Based on Feedback |
| Fall 2028 | Consolidate Area 3 | Consolidate remaining areas | Options Based on Feedback |
Next Steps
- January 12th: The Board will hear the proposal for the intermediate model with specific facilities and the proposed timeline for phasing projects.
- January 19th: Board meeting with a vote on all cost savings proposals except facilities. The board will hear proposals for redrawing school boundaries.
- January 26th: Scheduled Board vote on facilities.
- February: Development of specific staffing processes based on the final vote.
Key Takeaway: As we move forward, please keep in mind that nothing is finalized until the School Board takes action. This includes the decision on whether implementation begins in Fall 2026 or 2027.
CLICK HERE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSAL (survey has closed)
Addressing Your Concerns
We know a transition of this scale brings up concerns about the “logistics” of daily life. Once the Board makes a final decision on Jan. 26, we will begin the work of addressing:
- Transportation: Updated bus routes and travel times.
- Transition Plans: The roadmap for how students will be reassigned and welcomed into their new school.
- Student Supports: Specific plans to ensure our students feel safe and supported during this change.
Special Board Work Session
January 5, 2026
The Board of Education held a special work session in Cedar D of the Educational Leadership and Support Center.
First Phase of Budget Reductions
The Board will consider the first phase of budget reductions, informed by staff and community feedback. These proposed reductions focus on minimizing classroom impact and include:
- Reductions in consulting contracts
- Reductions in professional development travel
- ELSC staff reductions
Together, these items represent approximately $4.2 million in savings toward balancing the budget.
Proposal to Reorganize Schools
The board will also consider a proposal to reconfigure grade levels and consolidate schools, known as an Intermedia School Model. This proposal came from work sessions with principals and district leaders, where multiple models were considered and the intermediate model received the strongest support in a survey that went to all staff and the Community Coalition. The model would restructure schools as follows:
- Elementary: Preschool–4th grade
- Intermediate: 5th–6th grade
- Middle: 7th–8th grade
- High School: 9th–12th grade (no change)
Closing school buildings would result in approximately $1–$1.5 million in annual operational savings per building.
Please note:
- No schools have been identified for consolidation
- The Board is first considering the model, then potential implementation
- No final decisions have been made
Why This Model Is Being Considered
- Full-time specialist access at all levels
- Stronger extracurricular & co-curricular opportunities
- More consistent class sizes
- Clear feeder patterns
- Estimated $1–$1.5M savings per building annually
Key Resources
Read more about the special worksession
Message from the Board of Education
December 11, 2026
Dear CRCSD Community,
I want to clearly communicate the Board of Education’s direction and the critical role your voice plays in this process.
The Cedar Rapids Community School District is at a pivotal moment. Our need to adjust budgets for the future by $10-12 million annually is the focus of the Board of Education. We know that this work is weighing on the minds of more than 3,000 amazing individuals who come to work each day in support of our district’s students. I want to start there – by recognizing that every message, news article, and even the rumors our district staff hears, hits with a heavy force.
Your School Board members are committed to a process that is transparent and visible to our staff, our families and our community.
The Board has directed district administration to gather a holistic range of options for consideration, specifically focusing on solutions to create a sustainable financial structure and optimize our facilities to support staff as they educate our students.
No decisions have been made yet. While ultimately the Board will need to approve the plan, we are asking district staff, families and taxpayers to provide critical and knowledgeable input to help craft the plan.
At the request of the Board, the administration will be actively collecting input from internal and external stakeholders to create and refine the options that will ultimately form our plan. Your insights on perceptions of strategic priorities, desired programming, and opportunities for facility optimization are essential to shaping our success. We urge you to participate to ensure your perspective is a driving force in our district’s future.
We are committed to a transparent process. Thank you for engaging in this important work to shape the successful, fiscally sound future of CRCSD.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Neumann
CRCSD School Board President
Timeline
Plan Development
Prioritize initiatives based on stakeholders feedback and wants/needs. Refine strategic priorities based on stakeholder feedback to draft 5-7 year strategic plan. | Timeline: January-February 2026
Stakeholder Feedback
Gather feedback on recommendations for strategic plan | Timeline: March-April 2026
Finalize Plan
Finalized five to seven year strategic plan goes to the Board of Education for consideration | Timeline: April 27, 2026, Board Meeting