Two northeast Iowa school districts have scheduled public meetings to discuss closing buildings to save money. The Independence School District is considering shuttering one of their buildings to help save the district from financial ruin.
The district could have a negative fund balance of one-point-five-million dollars by the end of the school year, and the school’s spending authority will decrease from $1.6 million to $1.3-million. According to the superintendent, if things continue as is, the district will be bankrupt in two years, and the state would then come in and close it down.
The proposed one-million dollars in cuts, include closing East Elementary and moving those students to West Elementary. Other grades would also be shifted around. The Oelwein Community School Board is considering closing one of the elementary buildings to save money.
The district is facing a large deficit, and the district finance committee has come up with a budget management plan. One of the highlights includes closing Harlan Elementary or closing Parkside Elementary and using Parkside as an alternative school. Another part of the plan is to cut 16 teaching positions over the next three years.
By Roger King, KOEL, Oelwein