Superintendent Matt Degner told the Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors on Aug. 26 that early counts for the start of the 2025–26 school year exceeded last year’s first‑day totals in every category and that the district had added classroom capacity and targeted staff support.

The update matters because first‑day and October enrollment counts drive state funding and staffing decisions; the superintendent said the initial increases could affect budgeting and program capacity later this year.

Degner said the district’s first‑day counts were higher than last year’s in each category: preschool (up 106), elementary (up 33), secondary (up 82) and overall K–12 (up 115). He told the board the district added elementary capacity this year—reporting 300 K–6 elementary sections this year compared with 290 the previous year—and added FTE for targeted middle‑school math support and additional staffing at Liberty High School. Degner described efforts to reduce class sizes where possible and noted the district had restored three levels of RAM discussed earlier in the spring.

Degner also emphasized outreach and morale: the district released a back‑to‑school video and distributed themed shirts for staff and families. He said the district had been named “one of Iowa’s best employers” by Forbes and noted the district’s three comprehensive high schools ranked among the state’s top programs, mentioning that West High again appears at the top of statewide rankings; Degner did not provide a precise Forbes rank during the presentation.

Board members asked for additional data. Director Lingo asked for follow‑up reporting that would quantify movement between district enrollment and school‑choice vouchers so the board can see whether students left and later returned; Degner said the district will work with its data team to pull those metrics. Director Charlie Eastham and others praised staff for summer preparations and school openings.

Degner described the district’s approach to teacher onboarding and professional development—four half‑days for new teachers and separate elementary/secondary PD sessions focused on proficiency scales and portrait‑of‑a‑graduate competencies—and thanked facilities and maintenance staff for summer work readying buildings.

The presentation closed with board members and the superintendent saying they will monitor the October certified enrollment count, which the superintendent said will determine final budget implications and staffing needs for the year ahead.