Dubuque Board Votes 6-1 to Close Two Middle Schools
Jefferson and Washington close after 2027-28. The plan saves $4.5 million against a $17 million five-year gap, and the district says it won't be enough by itself.
Dubuque's board voted 6-1 on November 9 to close Jefferson and Washington middle schools in 2028 and consolidate grades across Roosevelt, Hempstead and Dubuque Senior.
Dubuque's school board voted 6-1 Monday to close two middle schools and rebuild the district around one high school pathway, starting in fall 2028. [Dubuque school board votes 6-1 to close Jefferson and Washington — Dubuque In Pursuit News]
Jefferson and Washington middle schools close after the 2027-28 year. Roosevelt Middle School then takes sixth and seventh grades, Hempstead High School takes eighth and ninth plus a career center, and Dubuque Senior takes grades 10 to 12. [Dubuque school board votes 6-1 to close Jefferson and Washington — Dubuque In Pursuit News]
The money drives it. The plan, the district's Scenario 3 from its facilities task force, saves more than $4.5 million. The district says it needs to save nearly $17 million over five years as enrollment falls and state funding increases fail to keep pace with inflation, and that Monday's changes alone won't close the gap. More closures and staffing changes could follow. [Dubuque school board votes 6-1 to close Jefferson and Washington — Dubuque In Pursuit News]
For families, the near term is unchanged: students finish at their current schools through 2027-28. The district hasn't yet set timelines for the Roosevelt expansion, the Hempstead career and college readiness center, or the bus route and staffing changes the plan requires. [Dubuque school board votes 6-1 to close Jefferson and Washington — Dubuque In Pursuit News]
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