Ames Community School District’s budget is expected to decrease by $5 million.
The district’s projected budget for the 2026-27 school year is $125.5 million, nearly $12 million less than two years ago.
The district also expects the property tax rate to decrease slightly, from $14.04 to $14.05.
Ames School Business Official Sherri Ruzek said the budget decrease is because there are fewer construction projects than in years past. Ames CSD recently completed the Ames Multi-Purpose Education Center, finished paying off renovations at the Ames High School and renovated all of its elementary playgrounds to be more inclusive.
The district does not plan to cut any faculty members or programs amid the $5 million budget reduction, though schools across the state are taking drastic steps to curtail large budget deficits.
Area districts, like Ballard, Gilbert, and Boone, said they’ll lay off some teachers and cut programs to address significant shortfalls. Gilbert plans to cut seven positions, while Boone will cut its orchestra program. Ballard plans to nix its three-year-old preschool program.
The Ames School Board reviewed the proposed budget at its Feb. 23 meeting. A finalized budget is due by the end of April.
Decreasing enrollment and state aid impact Ames CSD’s budget
Shrinking enrollment also contributes to the budget decrease.
The Ames Community School District is projecting just over 4,400 students next year, a loss of about 65 students from the previous year’s count of 4,534.
Enrollment has dipped in each of the last two years despite a significant jump ahead of the 2024-2025 year, when the district added 106 students. Enrollment dropped slightly in 2025-26 by about 12 students.
While State Supplemental Aid is expected to increase by 2%, as it did for 2025-26, the support had increased by 3% in each of the two years prior. The one percent drop impacts the budget as well.
“We need more SSA, and we need more kids,” Ruzek said. “That’s what every school (is saying).”
What are the expected property taxes for Ames CSD?
The proposed $14.04 property tax rate is expected to generate about $49 million, according to school board documents, a slight decrease from the year prior.
Property taxes continue to fluctuate year over year, coming in at $14 in 2024-25 and $13.93 in 2023-24.
The $14.04 rate assumes the State Supplemental Aid (SSA) will be at 2%, per Gov. Kim Reynolds recommendation. The Iowa Legislature still needs to set this year’s amount.
Ames school board will host public hearings for new budget
The Ames school district will hold two public hearings, on March 23 and April 20 prior to the regular school board meetings. The board hopes to approve the budget at the April 20 meeting.
Iowa’s school budgets are due on April 30.
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Here’s why Ames CSD’s budget is expected to drop by $5M
Reporting by Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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