Cedar Rapids Schools Approve Controversial Boundary Changes

Strategic planning group recommends closing 7 schools and converting 3 others to 5th-6th grade buildings

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:19am

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print of a stack of school books repeated in a grid pattern, conceptually representing the debate over school closures in Cedar Rapids.The proposed school consolidation plan in Cedar Rapids has sparked debate over the closure of neighborhood schools and the impact on students and families.Cedar Rapids Today

The Cedar Rapids School District's Strategic Planning Executive Committee has recommended a boundary plan that would close 7 elementary schools and convert 3 others into 5th and 6th-grade buildings. The plan, known as 'Scenario Two', aims to create a feeder program where students stay together from preschool through high school graduation, but has faced criticism over school closures and impacts on socioeconomic diversity.

Why it matters

The proposed school consolidation plan has sparked debate in the Cedar Rapids community, with concerns raised over the closure of neighborhood schools, the impact on low-income and minority students, and the disruption to families. The school board's decision will have long-lasting effects on the city's educational landscape.

The details

The 'Scenario Two' plan would close Wright, CRA at Taylor, Cleveland, Grant, and Nixon elementary schools, as well as Truman Preschool. It would also convert Franklin, Roosevelt, and Viola Gibson into 5th and 6th-grade buildings. The goal is to create a feeder program that keeps students together from preschool through high school graduation, but critics argue it will exacerbate socioeconomic segregation.

  • The Strategic Planning Executive Committee made its recommendation on April 14, 2026.
  • The Cedar Rapids School Board is expected to vote on the plan on April 27, 2026.

The players

Cedar Rapids Community School District

The public school district serving the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Strategic Planning Executive Committee

A committee of school leaders, a school board member, and community members tasked with guiding the Cedar Rapids School Board through consolidation plans.

Dr. Tawana Lannin

The superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

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What they’re saying

“With every adjustment, it created other obstacles for us, and so the team landed back on scenario two.”

— Dr. Tawana Lannin, Superintendent, Cedar Rapids Community School District

What’s next

The Cedar Rapids School Board is expected to vote on the 'Scenario Two' boundary plan on April 27, 2026. If approved, the closures and conversions would be implemented in the coming school year.

The takeaway

The proposed school consolidation plan in Cedar Rapids has sparked intense debate, with concerns over the closure of neighborhood schools, the impact on low-income and minority students, and the disruption to families. The school board's decision will have significant and long-lasting effects on the city's educational landscape.