‘We needed to make some efficiencies in our district’ - Dubuque task force recommends middle school consolidation plan

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - Last year, Dubuque community schools approved a goal of consolidating the district’s middle schools. Now that goal is one step closer to reality as a task force presented a recommendation to the school board.

The recommendation would take Dubuque from three to two middle schools.

The plan the task force presented Monday would include the construction on a new middle school at the Wilson site, retention of Roosevelt and closing of Jefferson. If they would go with this plan, Dubuque district officials said it would cost around $110 million.

Amy Hawkins, the superintendent, said some of the driving factors for looking at the consolidation include helping the district be more cost-effective and declining enrollment rates.

“Seeing that we needed to make some efficiencies in our district and how, how do we go about saving money? And so one thing that we’ve found through the research is we can save about, oh, about $3.5 million a year if we would move from the three to two middle school format,” said Hawkins.

The task force will give another presentation to the school board on Monday. The board will then make a decision on accepting or declining the recommendation then as well.

If they push the plan through, Hawkins said they may then need the public to vote on a General Obligation bond. She said that would likely take place in September.

Copyright 2023 KCRG. All rights reserved.