Board closes public hearing on proposed 2025-26 calendar; agenda and minutes approved

The Council Bluffs Community School District Board on Wednesday closed a public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 school calendar and voted to approve the meeting agenda and prior meeting minutes.

Board members were presented a calendar option that would begin the school year on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, include roughly 1,082 instructional hours (about 180 days) and a two-week winter break. Staff told the board the proposal allows for up to five remote learning days under current rules and would leave little margin for additional no-school days — roughly 2.25 hours above the statutory requirement, meaning only a short late-start (about two hours) would be feasible without adjustments.

The district reported it surveyed employees and parents; the option before the board was favored by 61.7% of employees and 61.1% of parents. Board members were also briefed that pending state legislation could change the allowable earliest start date for school years; staff said they would return to the board to reconsider the calendar if the law changes.

The board approved the evening's agenda and the minutes of the Jan. 28, 2025, work session and regular business meeting by voice votes with no roll-call tallies recorded in the public proceeding. The public hearing on the calendar recorded no attendees who wished to speak and was closed by the presiding officer.

The district said next steps include seeking board approval of the calendar at the next meeting, distributing the calendar to families and staff, and developing employee calendars through HR that align with the school calendar.