The Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education on Jan. 12 approved the district's annual at‑risk and dropout prevention plan for the 2026–27 school year and voted to submit a modified supplemental amount application to the state seeking the maximum allowable aid.

Executive Director of Student Services Jen Van Fleet presented the plan to the board, saying the program concentrates on academic and social‑emotional/behavioral health supports, individual plans and fidelity monitoring. "Our key objectives are decreasing absenteeism and truancy, increasing access to high‑quality supports and monitoring implementation and outcomes," Van Fleet said during the presentation.

Derek Looch, a business services representative who joined the presentation, laid out the funding math: the district will request $6,354,534 in state modified supplemental aid and provide the required 25% local match of roughly $2.1 million, for a total program budget just under $8.5 million. Looch said the majority of the dollars would support district staffing and long‑standing community partnerships that provide school‑based mental‑health and restorative supports.

Board members asked for follow‑up data on measurable outcomes and partner rosters; Van Fleet said the district is building rosters and baseline measures now and will return with outcome data. Public commenters who had raised concerns earlier about restraint rates and training for staff were noted during discussion; Barb Hansen, a parent and community member, asked how the district would ensure training that addresses trauma and disability‑related behavior.

The board moved and seconded approval of the at‑risk and dropout prevention plan; the voice vote approved the plan. The board then moved and seconded a separate resolution to authorize submission of the modified supplemental amount application; the voice vote approved the resolution to submit the $6.35 million application.

What happens next: staff will finalize the application for the School Budget Review Committee and return to the board with additional implementation data and the rosters of partner services for the board's review.