Poll Shows School Support Growing but Hindered by Economic Uncertainty
March 25, 2025 | Economic Development & Workforce
Economic uncertainty is making passage of a bond referendum for Cedar Rapids Schools far more difficult, according to new poll results released by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. While the poll showed growing support for the school’s proposed initiatives, even taxpayers who strongly support the initiatives say uncertainty about their family budget makes it tougher to vote for it right now.
Those results have led the Economic Alliance to recommend the School District work on a lower cost option for voters to consider. The $211 million appears to be too high unless economic times stabilize, and there’s still time for the School District to offer additional alternative proposals.
“These school improvements are critical for our community, and there’s definitely a path to victory for this bond referendum,” said Ron Corbett, the Economic Alliance’s vice president of economic development. “But things would be far easier if people felt a little more confident about their pocketbook when they go to the ballot box.”
Corbett noted the local strife over recent layoffs at several major area companies, as well as the national economic headwinds coming from talks of tariffs and a potential trade war. He said pollsters had never in several decades of work with school districts seen the question about household finances come back so dire. More than 60% of respondents are concerned about the impact of inflation on their household, and 45% of respondents were not confident that things would be any better for their own household 12 months from now. Corbett said the pollsters advised that those statistics alone make referendum approval very difficult, at least right now.
The poll also revealed that almost twice as many people have a favorable view of the School District as those who have an unfavorable view. That’s trending positively from prior polling, but there’s still a large percentage of those who have no opinion.
“It’s clear Dr. Grover and her Team are starting to earn the trust of the voters,” Corbett said. “We encourage them to continue to really connect with teachers and parents and try to improve the support with those very important constituencies.”
Corbett said additional good news in the poll was that on the school proposals themselves, support has grown significantly since the school’s failed bond referendum in 2023. Among the highlights noted by Corbett were:
- 55% of respondents would likely or definitely vote for the bond referendum, still short of the 60% required for approval but a vast improvement from the past election and other polls.
- Improving school safety and accessibility scored highest, with 64% to 72% of respondents saying they are more likely to vote ‘yes’ on those components of the proposal.
- Voters also are compelled by cost efficiencies, with 61% expressing more support for initiatives that address the 3,500 empty seats and the millions in operational expenses that could be saved by aligning district facilities to its lower enrollments.
A proposed new middle school in northeast Cedar Rapids was less supported, with about 46% of respondents expressing support.
“Schools are a major part of the overall economic development plan for our community, and the business community in particular understands that strong schools means a strong future workforce,” Corbett said. “I strongly believe a vast majority of voters are committed to doing this for our families and students. We just need to balance what’s feasible, given the financial anxieties many are feeling.”