The Iowa City Community School District announced on Sept. 3 that the district has entered the beginning phases of reevaluating the organization of elementary schools in Iowa City. 

The announcement described the district’s desire to promote efficient use of resources, create consistency in staffing and scheduling, and create a more equitable experience for all students and faculty in the district. This discussion follows the closure of Hills Elementary School at the end of the 2023-24 school year. 

In the announcement, Iowa City Community School District Superintendent Matt Degner addressed three potential plans of action the district has brought up in discussions. One concept is to pair certain elementary schools together to balance class sizes across different buildings. 

Degner also wrote that early childhood learning centers would focus on foundational education for three- and four-year-olds.

The third idea the school district has is to establish what it calls “academy schools,” which would help bring a range of arts and STEM interests to the district. All of these ideas would theoretically make use of underutilized schools in the area to create a more efficient and equitable environment for staff and students in the district.

Degner wrote that these 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. 

“We’re committed to keeping you informed and engaged throughout this exploration process,” Degner wrote. “Your input is crucial as we move forward.”

The structural changes to the district are necessary to address an “enrollment cliff,” which means fewer and fewer students are being enrolled in not only Iowa City schools but districts across the country, Iowa City Community School District School Board President Ruthina Malone said in an interview with The Daily Iowan. 

Malone said budgetary evaluations have been important because of this drop in enrollment, as Iowa public schools are funded on a per-student basis. The district has lost $16 million in its budget since 2019, Malone said. 

Malone said the discussions are founded in equitable, efficient use of space and staff in schools. Class sizes vary from school to school, leaving some teachers overwhelmed by class sizes that are too large. 

“It’s about looking at making sure our buildings are configured to support the population that we have,” Malone said. “When there is only one section of a grade level in the building, a teacher isn’t able to collaborate with a colleague. Teachers feel like they’re off on their own island.”

Malone said she is looking forward to the discussions and the opportunity to explore a wide range of options to find the best plan for the students and staff. 

“As elected officials, we need to look at these solutions and decide what’s best,” Malone said. “We have to look at all options.” 

Malone said she hopes the discussions will help avoid closing more schools, adding that Hills Elementary closing was a direct result of the enrollment cliff the district is facing among other issues. 

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While pursuing equity in the district, Iowa City schools are looking at establishing new programs in underutilized buildings. Academy schools would sponsor performing arts and STEM programs for elementary-age students. 

Iowa Conservatory, a private performing arts academy in Iowa City, has a partnership with the Iowa City Community School District. Beth Brown, Dean of Students at Iowa Conservatory, said the system they use allows for greater focus on the needs of each student. 

The early discussions at Iowa City schools hope to attract a “diverse student body,” which Brown said has been achieved at Iowa Conservatory. 

“We typically draw in students from surrounding communities outside of the Iowa City school district zone — students that are interested in having arts opportunities that they can’t get in their home school area,” Brown said.

Community shares concerns

During the school board’s meeting on Tuesday evening, the board opened up discussion with the community about the announced plans. 

Thirteen concerned members of the district directly addressed the board during the community comment portion of the meeting. Each community member 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. 

Matthew Fleming, a parent of a student at Shimek Elementary School said the proposed changes would damage the community and school system the board themselves built. 

“This very organization imagined and built a variety of community-based schools,” Fleming said. “What happened to that?”

Fleming said the changes the district is suggesting are unnecessary, adding that the district works already. 

“In short, the system you built is working,” Fleming said. 

Ericka Petersen was another concerned parent who said the communication from the district was lackluster. She believed that progressing the plans without addressing them according to community input would be irresponsible. 

“The info the district shared with me so far is wholly inadequate. People still don’t know the implications of this plan,” Petersen said. “Making a committee tonight is severely problematic without proper communication.” 

The board addressed these concerns by reiterating that the current plans are only preliminary and that no decisions have yet been made. 

Eliza Proctor, executive director of the Iowa City Community School District’s elementary schools, gave a presentation combining two previously shown presentations to assuage community concerns. 

The presentation shows the class sizes in different buildings, ranging from 14 students to 32 students. Proctor said the district’s reenvisioning of the elementary schools, regardless of what form it takes, should address the unequal class sizes. 

Degner, the district’s superintendent, also discussed the budget cuts that have precipitated these discussions. The district is anticipating a $2 million cut in the coming year, he said.

Board member Jayne Finch also urged that the district needs to look at the problems soon facing the district resulting from underfunding and the consistent drop in enrollment. 

“It is important to be proactive instead of reactive,” Finch said.