Cedar Rapids school board schedules FY‑26 tax notice and sets public‑hearing timeline

The Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education voted to publish the proposed FY‑26 property tax notice and to schedule public hearings after a presentation on the district's budget outlook.

The action followed a detailed presentation by Derek, a Business Services staff member, who walked the board through the certified‑budget timeline, assumptions about state supplemental aid (SSA) and a modeled maximum proposed tax rate of $13.88457 per $1,000 of taxable value, with a more likely scenario near $13.65 under a 2% SSA assumption.

Board members said the district must finalize the property‑tax notice for mailing and public review. Derek told the board the county auditor will mail the proposed property notice on March 15, the first public hearing will be March 31, a second hearing will be held April 7, the board may adopt a certified budget April 28, and the adopted budget must be delivered to the county auditor by April 30. He also said the property‑tax notice model assumes 0% SSA as a conservative, worst‑case assumption and that the district can update the notice in the Iowa Department of Management system if SSA is settled before the March 5 filing deadline.

The presentation included a breakdown of drivers behind the tax rate — district cost per pupil, certified enrollment and statewide funding formulas — and noted recent shifts in levy composition, including changes in the instructional‑support levy base and use of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). Board members asked for clear language on the mailed notice explaining the district's potential placement on the budget guarantee if SSA is 0%.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the publication and scheduling of public hearings for the FY‑26 proposed tax notice and budget (motion approved by voice vote), approved the meeting agenda at the start of the session (roll call, unanimous ayes), approved the consent agenda including personnel items (roll call, unanimous ayes), and later voted to move into closed session for confidential records (roll call, unanimous ayes).

Derek emphasized the district is using a conservative model to give residents the maximum possible rate the district might need to publish; he said, “we are making the assumption of 0% state supplemental aid, as that is kind of worst case scenario.” Board members discussed outreach and advocacy to state legislators so SSA can be settled before the March 5 filing deadline.

The board did not adopt the certified budget at the meeting — it set the public notice and hearing dates required by the certified‑budget process and instructed staff to return with the full proposed budget at the scheduled hearings.

Clarifying details: the county auditor will mail the proposed property notice by March 15; the district will present the notice March 31 and hold a second public hearing April 7; adoption is planned for April 28 with an April 30 delivery to the county auditor; Derek reported the modeled maximum tax rate of 13.88457 and a more likely modeled rate near 13.65 under a 2% SSA assumption; filing in the Iowa Department of Management system must be completed by March 5 to change the mailed rate.