Bond Referendum | Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the responses to frequently asked questions about the November 4, 2025 Dubuque Community School District Middle School Bond Referendum. This page will continue to be updated with new questions added.
Looking for an overview of the bond project? View the main bond webpage for full details.
Questions included on this page include:
- If the bond is approved, when will the new middle school open?
- Where would my student attend middle school?
- What will happen to Jefferson Middle School and Washington Middle School if a new middle school is built?
- Will Jefferson Middle School remain open if the bond does not pass?
- Is the district purchasing the Dubuque Community Y property near Washington Middle School for the project?
- What is the impact on student transportation if a new middle school is built?
- How will a new middle school impact traffic in the Washington area?
- What will the property tax impact be if the bond passes?
- Do the district’s projections on tax impact already account for both principal and interest?
- If approved, would the district immediately issue bonds for the project?
If the bond is approved, when will the new middle school open?
If the bond is approved, the district would move into building design and project bidding stages before construction starts. Based on tentative timelines, the new middle school would be ready to open in fall 2029 for the 2029-2030 school year.
That means that students who are currently in second, third and fourth grade during the 2025-2026 school year would be the first sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students to attend the new middle school.
Where would my student attend middle school?
Middle school boundaries would align with the high school boundaries when the new middle school is completed.
Students residing in the Hempstead High School boundary would attend middle school at Roosevelt Middle School and students residing in the Dubuque Senior High School boundary would attend middle school at the new middle school.
Not sure which high school boundary you reside in? Check by address on our Find Your School page.
What will happen to Jefferson Middle School and Washington Middle School if a new middle school is built?
Jefferson Middle School and Washington Middle School will continue to operate during construction of the new middle school. Once a new middle school opens, the current Washington building would be deconstructed. The Jefferson building WOULD NOT be deconstructed by the district and next steps for use of the building would be determined at a later date.
Will Jefferson Middle School remain open if the bond does not pass?
Discussion at the September 2, 2025, School Board Facilities/Support Services Committee meeting focused on the fact that in all future efficiency scenarios, Jefferson Middle School will need to close due to consistently declining enrollment, the age of the facility, and the cost associated with updating the school and its learning spaces.
The recommendation to close Jefferson will be needed whether or not the bond issue is approved by voters in November. While there is not a finalized timeline for a closure, the district anticipates a future closure of Jefferson would not impact students currently attending Jefferson.
Is the district purchasing the Dubuque Community Y property near Washington Middle School for the project?
No, the middle school project does not have any component that includes the Dubuque Community Y property.
As part of a comprehensive site and property study during the district’s first bond referendum in 2023, a variety of possible site and land scenarios were explored in order to exhaust all possible land options. At that time, the Dubuque Community Y property was explored but determined to not be a viable option for expanding the Washington site.
What is the impact on student transportation if a new middle school is built?
Based on enrollment estimates for a new school, the district would see up to $230,000 in additional transportation costs, not considering enrollment changes and savings from students who may choose to use public transportation.
The new middle school site would be designed to accommodate additional school buses on school grounds rather than on surrounding roads in a designated, on-campus bus lane area for drop-off and pick-up times.
Even with this additional transportation cost, the district is estimated to save $1.9 to $2.5 million annually in operational costs.
How will a new middle school impact traffic in the Washington area?
The working site design for the project adds significant queuing space for family vehicles and school busses in order to divert as much traffic as possible off surrounding streets and onto the school site. It will also incorporate safer paths for pedestrians traveling to and from the school site.
The district worked with WHKS & Co. to conduct a traffic study during arrival and dismissal times. Based on the analysis of estimated traffic flow and the middle school site design, traffic congestion is expected to improve.
What will the property tax impact be if the bond passes?
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.
Property owners do not pay taxes on their entire assessed value. Iowa law prescribes a method to “roll back” property assessed values. In the current school year, residential property owners pay taxes on 47.4316% of the assessed value of their home, minus any qualifying exemptions. This is true statewide, regardless of where someone lives.
Use the calculator linked below, which allows you to input your assessed value and takes into account the rollback and any exemptions, to calculate the impact of the proposed $1.00 on your specific property.
CALCULATE THE TAX IMPACT ON YOUR PROPERTY
Do the district’s projections on tax impact already account for both principal and interest?
Bonds are the borrowing mechanism that schools use to borrow money for capital projects. In fact, the district uses bonds regularly for capital projects and those bonds always include interest payments.
If the bond measure is approved, the district would sell bonds as funds are needed and make regular debt service payments on the outstanding bonds. Those payments include paying BOTH principal and interest.
If approved, would the district immediately issue bonds for the project?
No, the district would not sell all bonds immediately and would have multiple bond issuances to fund the project. The district would sell bonds at various points in time intended to allow the district to have access to funds when needed to pay for construction and comply with current IRS regulations.