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Iowa City schools report $18 million special‑education shortfall, propose levy increase and pause projects
Summary
District leaders told the board that a special‑education deficit rose from about $10 million to roughly $18 million, prompting plans to maximize a cash‑reserve levy, pause capital projects and pursue further budget reductions while state actions could affect local levies.
An agency official said the Iowa City Community School District faces a sharp rise in special‑education costs and has proposed maximizing its cash‑reserve levy while pausing capital projects to shore up cash flow.
The district reported that a special‑education deficit jumped from roughly $10 million to about $18 million, increasing pressure on reserves and liquidity. "We didn't have to draw on that $3,000,000 anticipatory warrant," the agency official said of an emergency March borrowing the board had authorized. The official also credited an interim chief financial officer for completing FY24 and FY25 reconciliations through March.
The shortfall stems from several factors, officials said: reclassifying…
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