Hunter
03/26/26
The Iowa City Community School District will be reducing its teaching staff and cutting spending for the 2026-27 school year.
The Gazette reports the District is proposing to borrow another $35 million over the next two years to maintain adequate cash flow, repay a $10 million interfund loan and repay debt for building projects.
The school board voted 5-2 to cut $7.5 million in spending. Those cuts include reducing teachers, freezing curriculum purchases and eliminating consulting contracts.
The district’s shortfall is reportedly a result of failure to accurately track monthly spending and revenue over the past three years.
Kim Michael-Lee has been hired as the interim chief financial officer. She told board members Tuesday that the district is using outdated software that isn’t sufficient for its needs. She is leading the reconciliation of bank statements in preparation for auditors and implementing practices to prevent issues like this from arising in the future.
Most of the over $104 million in facility projects approved in 2024 have been put on hold, but the district has already spent over $2 million in design and construction costs.
The board will meet again in a work session at 5pm on April 1st at the Education Services Center on North Dubuque Road. The session will be open to the public.
The full article from the Gazette can be found below.