Cedar Rapids petition delivers 6,199 verified signatures to put school bond on Nov. 4 ballot

On Sept. 11, 2025, Future Ready Today podcast hosts Isabelle and Justin announced that the Believe and See campaign submitted 6,199 verified signatures — 849 more than the 5,350 required — to place a school bond before Cedar Rapids voters on Nov. 4, 2025. The campaign organizers turned in enough verified petition signatures to meet the threshold to get the measure on the ballot. The petition would put before voters a bond that, according to the podcast summary, would fund a full renovation and modernization of McKinley Middle School including security and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance upgrades; convert Wilson into an elementary school designed for younger learners; renovate Roosevelt to create a shared modern environment for Roosevelt and Wilson students; and add a freshman academy, expanded commons and an updated cafeteria at Kennedy High School. The hosts said the petition handoff was celebrated with a public highlight reel. The bond measure requires voter approval at the Nov. 4, 2025, election to take effect. The podcast noted the campaign reached the signature threshold and urged listeners to mark the election date. Discussion only: podcast hosts described the petition milestone and summarized the projects that would be funded if voters approve the bond. No formal board action, ordinance or funding appropriation was reported in the episode. Direction/next steps: the only explicit next step mentioned was placing the bond question on the Nov. 4 ballot, where it will require voter approval to move forward. Outcome: no formal decision was taken during the podcast; the status reported was that petition signatures were verified and the measure will appear on the ballot pending the election outcome.