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Madrid CSD is asking voters to consider a November 2026 bond referendum that would support a comprehensive improvement plan for the Junior/Senior High School. The plan is focused on hands-on career learning, safer and more functional student activity spaces, updated building systems, and responsible care of the school facility.

The purpose is to give Madrid students a stronger path from the classroom to a career while also improving the spaces they use every day. The plan supports career training, student activities, fine arts, physical education, athletics, building comfort, traffic flow, and long-term facility maintenance.

The plan includes a Career Academy addition, culinary arts classroom, agriculture/shop space, health sciences simulation lab, business hub, renovated band/vocal space, renovated weight room, multi-purpose room addition, locker room renovation, gym HVAC upgrades, south classroom wing improvements, fire alarm upgrades, corridor improvements, parking and traffic flow improvements, and related building updates. The final master project list identifies approximately $11.3 million in total Junior/Senior High School improvements.

The district completed a facility assessment, staff engagement, task force work, community feedback, and master planning. That process identified a need to improve career learning spaces, student activity spaces, HVAC systems, locker rooms, traffic flow, and other high-use areas of the Junior/Senior High School.

A Career Academy is a dedicated space for hands-on learning tied to real career pathways. It allows students to learn by doing, explore future careers, and build practical skills before graduation.

The plan supports career-connected learning in healthcare, agriculture, skilled trades, culinary arts, business, industrial technology, and related programs.

The plan includes a health sciences simulation lab modeled after a real healthcare setting. This would support students pursuing CNA certification and other healthcare-related credentials while still in high school.

The plan creates dedicated agriculture and shop space for FFA, industrial technology, and skilled trades coursework. These spaces would give students more room for hands-on learning in areas that are in demand across rural Iowa.

General Obligation Bonds in Iowa are required by state law to achieve 60% voter approval. This threshold exists because GO bonds are repaid through property taxes, and the higher bar ensures broad community support before that obligation is made. The district has structured this plan to be tax neutral — meaning passing the bond extends the current levy rate at no increase.

The plan includes a dedicated culinary arts classroom where students could gain practical food service experience and pursue restaurant-industry certifications before they graduate.

No. The plan supports students headed to college, trade school, certification programs, apprenticeships, military service, or directly into the workforce. The goal is to give every Madrid graduate more options and a stronger head start.

Career learning has changed. Students need spaces where they can practice real skills, use industry-relevant equipment, earn credentials, and connect classroom learning to future opportunities.

SAVE stands for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — Iowa's statewide penny sales tax dedicated to school infrastructure. Unlike the GO bond, which is repaid through property taxes, SAVE revenue comes from sales tax collected across the state and flows back to districts based on enrollment. The district’s SAVE allocation funds $16.6 million of this plan. Because it draws on sales tax rather than property tax, it does not affect local property tax rates.

It gives students earlier exposure to career pathways, more hands-on experience, and better access to programs that can lead to certifications, college credit, apprenticeships, or workforce opportunities.

The current weight room is limited in size and function. A larger, modern weight room would improve safety, access, and training opportunities for students across physical education, wellness, and every sport.