Members of the Dubuque School Board voted last night to close two middle schools and consolidate its high schools as part of a plan to save the district millions of dollars.
More than 1,200 community members signed a petition asking the board to postpone the vote and reconsider, but board member Nancy Bradley says they can’t afford to delay.
“This recommendation, that is here tonight, is well researched, it’s grounded in high quality and equitable learning,” Bradley says, “so, to delay the vote tonight would cause, I believe, a disastrous setback.”
The district must cut nearly $17-million from its budget by the 2030 fiscal year due to low state funding and enrollment declines. The district has tried to pass two bond measures in recent years, but both failed.
Among the many residents who opposed the vote, Emily Brannon spoke before the meeting and says the process was rushed. Brannon hopes the city will stand by its public schools going forward.
“And I also hope that as a state, we can reconsider our support for public education,” Brannon says. “I know that’s a big tenet that Governor-elect Rob Sand ran on.”
In addition to closing two middle schools under the plan, Dubuque’s Hempstead High School will serve 8th and 9th graders, and Senior High will serve grades 10 through 12.
Administrators say 19 of Iowa’s 24 largest school districts are facing closures and consolidations.
Dubuque will begin work now to roll out the plan by the fall of 2028, although it only delivers part of the necessary cost-savings.
