News
With a few exceptions, area high school enrollments are down for 2026-27
8+ hour, 38+ min ago (779+ words) Cedar Rapids Washington forward Sira Doumbia (52) shoots the ball at the 2026 girls state basketball tournament March 2, 2026. If there's a silver lining on Washington's continued decline in enrollment, it's the fact that Doumbia and the Warriors will compete in Class 4 A…...
Expanded deductions drive tax refunds up but gains uneven
1+ week, 1+ day ago (822+ words) The Internal Revenue Service 1040 tax form for 2022 is seen on April 17, 2023. DES MOINES " As the April 15 tax filing deadline arrives, Republicans at the national and state level are highlighting increased refunds tied to President Donald Trump's sweeping tax legislation, while…...
Iowa officials clarify child welfare task force status
2+ week, 1+ day ago (877+ words) DES MOINES " State officials continue to face questions about the status of Iowa's child welfare task force, which has not met since February 2024, even as they say its work has continued through a successor advisory group. During a news conference…...
STEM Scale-Up program engages children, local organizations and schools in science, technology, engineering, math at an early age
9+ mon, 2+ week ago (932+ words) This story first appeared in STEM in Iowa 2025, an annual special section distributed in The Gazette that provides an in-depth look at how this educational pathway is having an impact in the classroom as well as in future workforce pipelines....
Iowa child care assistance for child care workers signed into law
2+ week, 6+ hour ago (376+ words) Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs into law April 9, 2026, a provision that allows Iowa child care workers to access state-funded financial assistance to cover their own child care costs, during a public signing ceremony at Stepping Stones Child Development Center in…...
Iowa updates foster parent training to speed placements
2+ week, 2+ day ago (1125+ words) DES MOINES " Those seeking to become foster parents in Iowa will face a new, more flexible training system under legislation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Supporters said the changes are designed to remove outdated barriers and better…...
Iowa child care centers could get federal grants for nights and weekends under Hinson bill
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (494+ words) Iowa child care facilities would be able to apply for grant funding to expand existing capacity, adapt existing programs or start new programs to provide day care services outside the traditional 9-to-5 hours and on weekends under legislation reintroduced by…...
Advice for anxious parents
3+ week, 5+ day ago (399+ words) Parents today are scared. A new survey from the Institute for Family Studies found that the average parent will not let their kids roam more than 100 yards from home until they are 8 or 9 years old. Of course it's natural to…...
Teachers are too often second guessed
1+ mon, 2+ day ago (420+ words) Third grade teacher Sarah Kelly talks with students at Grant Elementary School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Everyone at one time or another has been driven crazy by a back seat driver. "There's a stop sign." "You're too…...
Notes on Nutrition: The importance, benefits of prioritizing family meals
6+ mon, 4+ week ago (620+ words) September is National Family Meals Month, which makes it an excellent time to prioritize eating with your loved ones. As we get back into routines and schedules start filling up, time is often limited, though family meals don't need to…...