Middle School Bond Referendum | November 4, 2025
As a district, it is our goal to ensure that every student in the district has an outstanding learning experience supported by facilities that meet the needs of today’s learners.
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THE BACKGROUND.
In November 2023, a bond measure proposed by the district for five projects received 58.91 percent approval, narrowly failing to reach the 60 percent needed to pass. Following that measure, the district heard three pieces of consistent feedback:
- There were too many projects
- The total amount was too high
- The tax-rate neutral solution was too confusing
With a slight, year-after-year enrollment decline and historically low state aid for schools not keeping up with the pace of inflation, the district continued its work to plan for the future and find operational savings.
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- What did the planning process look like and who was involved?
- What community feedback was gathered through the planning process?
THE NEED.
While well maintained through generations of students served, Washington Middle School and Jefferson Middle school are over 100 years old and have outlived their useful life. At the same time, the district must reduce operational costs to alleviate budget pressures, which can be achieved by consolidating from three to two middle schools.
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THE PROJECT.
Build a new, modern 1,000+ student middle school on the current Washington Middle School site.
This project would:
- ensure all Dubuque middle school students learn in a setting made for today’s learners
- save an estimated $1.9 to $2.5 million in annual operating expenses by moving from three to two district middle schools.
View conceptual renderings of the proposed new middle school:
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THE FUNDING.
The overall cost to construct a new middle school on the Washington Middle School site is estimated at $121.9 million.
After listening to feedback following the 2023 bond referendum, this project would be funded by the proposed $70 million general obligation bond combined with approximately $51.9 million in SAVE funds (one-cent sales tax) already designated to the district.
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THE IMPACT.
If a general obligation bond is approved, it would add an additional $1.00 per $1,000 of assessed value to the district’s property tax levy.
The actual impact will vary by property owner, as Iowa property owners do not pay taxes on their entire assessed value.
We developed a calculator to determine the specific impact to a property owner, taking into account the state “rollback” amount and any qualifying exemptions.
CALCULATE THE TAX IMPACT ON YOUR PROPERTY
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THE FACTS.
Get the answers to the most commonly asked questions about the bond and find the facts on the most common misinformation circulating.
Have a question that’s not answered on the FAQs? Use the link below to submit the question and we’ll be in touch with the answer.
THE VOTE.
The bond issue will be on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, election ballot during the City/School Election.
ADDITIONAL INFO.
As we continue to move forward with planning over the next few months, you can stay up to date with the most recent information and answers to frequently asked questions on this page.