Cost increases may force more cuts at CCSD

More cuts to the budget may be needed to keep the school district afloat as enrollment continues to decline.

As progress begins on the 2026-27 budget, the district continues to look for ways to cut costs. Due to declining enrollment, the Creston Community School District had to make major cuts last year, including reducing four positions and eliminating the teacher leadership program. While this evened out costs for the 2025-26 budget, continued declining enrollment and estimated expense increases means almost $900,000 in new costs.

“It looks a lot like last year, [but] I’m not as nervous as I was probably last year,” CCSD Superintendent Deron Stender said at the Dec. 15 school board meeting. “Based on our budget model projections and our fund balances and the long-term conservative fiscal decisions that the board has made over the course of the last five, 10 years, leaves you at a good position that, if you didn’t cut anymore, we’ll be okay this year.”

However, not cutting costs this year would make budgetary issues in the following years more extreme, as the district expects a continual decline in enrollment for the next few years. Iowa public schools receive about $8,000 per student, so declining student population means a declining budget.

While the district has already found savings from various flex funds, an extra $723,000 is needed to even out the extra costs in the 2026-27 budget.

“We are continuing to look at what can we do to help minimize that $723,000 that we can do this year so it softens the blow for next year, softens the blow for the following year, because if you kick the [snowball] down the road, the [snowball] does not get smaller,” Stender said.

While more specific cost-savings ideas will be brought up at the January school board meeting, Stender said one plan is to look at the job duties as resignations and retirements come in.

“As we receive resignations, people leaving for other jobs, people receiving new opportunities, we do take a look at that very seriously,” Stender said. “How does that impact the budget to help [make sure] that cost savings target is less each year going forward. That process takes about four months, so in January we start preparing notices, bringing confirmation back to the board; everything has to be done by the end of April.”

Specific increased costs for the 2026-27 budget include $357,862 from an enrollment decrease of 44.8 students, $174,000 from operating budget increases, $209,722 from Creston Education Association increases, $80,322 from AFSCME increases and $66,956 from administrative and non-union increases, all estimated.

In other school board news...

The board highlighted the various opportunities for CCSD students to stay full, both through a school food pantry and take-home bags.

The board approved the following list of December 2025 contracts and resignations:

Resignations: Sadie Heyveld, paraprofessional; Elizabeth Bortell, paraprofessional; Sara King, elementary art teacher (end of 2025-26 school year).