The Dubuque Community School District (DCSD) is a publicschool district based in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. DCSD, which operates schools in eastern Dubuque County, is the seventh largest school district in Iowa. As of the 2021-2022 school year, DCSD has 10,535 students enrolled in its schools.[2]
General information
DCSD serves an area covering 245 square miles (630 km2),[3] including most of the eastern half of Dubuque County, and a small portion of northern Jackson County. This area includes the city of Dubuque and the outlying communities of: Asbury, Durango, Graf, Rickardsville, Sageville, Sherrill, and St. Donatus.[4]
DCSD is one of the largest employers in the city of Dubuque, with 1,876 employees,[3] 846 of which are teachers.[5] The number of district employees has been rising in recent years due to new school construction, and the expansion of existing schools. From 2003-2006, DCSD hired 268 new full- and part-time teachers.[6]
DCSD is governed by a 7-member elected school board and is managed by an appointed Superintendent of Schools. Current school board members include Kate Parks, Nancy Bradley, Katie Jones, Jim Prochaska, Tami Ryan, Anderson Sainci and Lisa Wittman.[7] The Superintendent of Schools is Amy Hawkins.[7]
DCSD's budget for the 2021-2022 school year was $156,808,000.
Enrollment
Enrollment history & projections for the Dubuque Community School District 1998-2011.
In the 2023–2024 school year, 10,535 are enrolled in DCSD. Of those, 27.4% are economically challenged according to U.S. News & World Report.[8]
Recent developments
In December 2002, Dubuque County voters approved a 1% Local-Option Sales Tax, which expired after 10 years, on June 30, 2013. The extra revenue generated from the tax paid for the construction of new schools and renovation of existing schools in all Dubuque County School Districts. DCSD was estimated to collect $96.6 million over the 10-year span. To date, the DCSD has invested $67.8 million in new and renovated schools. Sales tax dollars have been used in the construction of Roosevelt Middle School (opened 2005), Carver Elementary School (opened 2007), Prescott Elementary School (rebuilt 2006), and renovation/construction projects at Kennedy Elementary School, Table Mound Elementary School, and Hempstead High School.
Approximately $10.5 million was spent on the Dalzell Field Reconstruction at Dubuque Senior High School, which was completed in April 2013. The field features 3,125 new spectator seats and the digital display on the scoreboard is 20 feet by 11 feet – one of the largest of its kind in the region.[9]
In 2008 Iowa passed a State Penny for School Infrastructure sales tax. This tax replaced the county local option sales taxes throughout Iowa. After the district’s local option sales tax expired the statewide tax took effect on July 1, 2013. It is anticipated that the FY 2013-14 sales tax collections will exceed $8 million.[10]
