WATERLOO, Iowa (KWWL) -- Nearly a month after the Waterloo Community School District warned staff cuts would be announced, we now know exactly what positions are being eliminated in the district, following Monday night's school board meeting.
In a presentation to the board, Superintendent Dr. Jared Smith laid out a plan that would equal over $10 million dollars in budget cuts for the 2025/2026 school year, and $6 million dollars in budget cuts for the 2026/2027 school year.
For next school year- over 60 positions will be cut. Dr. Smith says some are actually open unfilled positions that will be closed, or positions that people are voluntarily leaving through attrition. Dozens however, will be folks learning they will be losing their jobs.
"Incredibly difficult to eliminate any position, let alone dozens of them," said Dr. Smith, adding, "I want people to know, whether it’s our employees or our community members, that we’re truly doing what’s best for the district, we really don’t have any options at this point but to reduce significantly."
The district has held over 100 meetings with district leaders over the last 15 months to come up with the cuts. Most of the staff impacted will have received an email tonight to notify them. By the end of the week, Dr. Smith says all affected employees should be contacted.
"We feel good about like right away communicating with effected employees. We feel like we owe it to them, we’ve had time on our side to prepare and plan and so we said we need to send these emails out tonight, now that’s not for every single affected employee but that’s for most," said Dr. Smith.
On top of the staff cuts, several programs and contracts will also be consolidated. That includes the closure of Expo High School - which is expected to be sold by the end of this year, or early next year. Most Expo programs have already been moved to the Central Middle School building- with the remainder set to move to the former Greenbrier elementary school.
Certain staff will also have reductions- all administrative staff, including the superintendent, will have a salary freeze for the next year. During the course of the two year plan, over $2 million dollars will be saved through administrative cuts alone.
The cuts come on the heels of the district, and many others in the state, running out of federal COVID-19 funding, as well as reduced state funding, and rising inflation costs. For several years, including in a proposal for this upcoming year, state funding has been set at just over 2% for Iowa districts. With 3% yearly raises, Dr. Smith says the difference "catches up."
During public comment, one educator called for the public to action, and demand more from state legislators.
"As we see more dollars be funneled towards private school vouchers and charter schools, we do our best to educate our students and provide opportunities, will less funding," she said, adding, "the future of our public schools and of our community depends on our collective voices, speaking and holding our representative and senators accountable. I encourage everyone here to email or call their legislators to ask for adequate funding for our public schools our voices and our votes matter."
In today's presentation, Dr. Smith said the set cuts for 2025 are mostly set and final.
For the 2026/2027 year, dozens of others are also at risk to lose their jobs:
In addition to the cuts, the district is proposing a new property tax levy. The rate would be increased from $13.98/$1,000 taxable value, up to $17.84/$1,000 taxable value. The money from those taxes would contribute to the district's ELL (English Language Learners), Special Education, and At-Risk programs.
An initial hearing on the raise will be on March 25, 2025. A final adoption of both the budget and the levy will be voted on April 28, 2025.
District residents voted yes to a $165 million dollar project last fall to build a new high school, combining Waterloo East and West. This project is being funded by SAVE funds, a 1% sales tax. That money does not contribute to the general fund, and therefore can not be used on staff salaries. The state requires the funds are kept separate, and they can not be used interchangeably.
Earlier this year, KWWL received a copy of an audit highlighting financial challenges the district is facing. It is public information, and posted below: