STORM TRACK IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. BUT FIRST. DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCED WHICH SCHOOLS MAY EVENTUALLY CLOSE IN THE DISTRICT. vlog PURPURA IS IN STUDIO NOW. PEPPER. WHY IS THE DISTRICT CONSIDERING CLOSING SCHOOLS? WELL, STACIE, THE DISTRICT WANTS TO OVERHAUL DMPS. THEY INTRODUCED THEIR REIMAGINING EDUCATION PLAN LAST MONTH, AND SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS SAYS THE PLAN WOULD RESTRUCTURE GRADE LEVELS AND CREATE MULTIPLE SIGNATURE SCHOOLS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMING THAT TAILORS TO SOME STUDENTS SPECIFIC INTERESTS. IT WOULD ALSO RETIRE SEVEN OF THE DISTRICT’S CAMPUSES. CATTELL, HOWELL, STOWE AND STOWE ELEMENTARIES WOULD CLOSE BY 2033. CALLANAN AND HARDING MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD ALSO CLOSE BY 2026, AS WELL AS THE WALNUT STREET SCHOOL AND THE MCKEE EDUCATION CENTER BY 2032. WE WANT TO BOLDLY REIMAGINE EDUCATION IN AND OUT OF OUR CLASSROOMS, MODERNIZING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. SAYS THAT THE CHANGES WILL HELP ADDRESS FALLING ENROLLMENT NUMBERS SINCE THE FALL OF 2017, THE DISTRICT HAS LOST MORE THAN 2000 STUDENTS. ALTHOUGH THEY DO KEEP SOME FUNDING WITH STUDENTS LEAVE, EACH STUDENT WHO LEAVES REPRESENTS A LOSS OF UP TO $7,600, AND THAT COULD ADD UP TO MILLIONS IN LOST FUNDING, ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT MATT SMITH SAYS THIS PLAN CAN MAKE DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS A COMPETITIVE OPTION FOR FAMILIES. THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN A NEW DAWNING IN DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS IS HOW WE GET THIS DONE. WE DON’T ALLOW OURSELVES TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS, BUT WE LEAP FORWARD WITH FORTITUDE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL BE AND WHAT CAN BE, AND TO FUND THE PROJECT. ROBERTS SAYS THE DISTRICT PLANS TO INTRODUCE A $500 MILLION BOND REFERENDUM. VOTERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF
DMPS could close 7 schools under a new district plan, here's which ones they're considering
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Updated: 3:05 PM CST Feb 12, 2025
More details about a plan to overhaul Des Moines Public Schools Tuesday morning revealed the district could close seven current campuses by 2036. During the annual State of the School address, Superintendent Ian Roberts and Associate Superintendent Matt Smith outlined their plan called "Reimagining Education, Reinvigorating Schools." Roberts said, if funded, the plan would restructure grade levels and create multiple 'signature schools' with special programming tailored to student-specific interests. It would also retire the following 7 school buildings and rebuild the Kurtz Opportunity Center: Walnut Street SchoolHarding Middle SchoolMcKee Education CenterCattell ElementaryHowe Elementary SchoolStowe Elementary SchoolCallanan Middle School Roberts says retiring some campuses addresses the fact that, on average, the age of a DMPS building is 80 years old. Smith says, reimagining the district will also address falling enrollment numbers, and allow Des Moines to be a competitive option for families."This is an investment in a new dawning in Des Moines Public Schools. This is how we get this done. We don't allow ourselves to think about what was, but we leap forward with fortitude to talk about what will be and what can be," Smith said. Since 2017, state enrollment data shows Des Moines' student population decreased by more than 2,000 students. For each student that transfers out of DMPS, the district loses around $7,600.If the student uses the funding to enroll in a private institution, Des Moines might retain around $1,200, but if the student open enrolls into another public school, the funding will go toward their new district. As a result, Des Moines is losing millions from the enrollment drop and says it's projecting further decline. Without change, the district says it expects 30% or more of some buildings to go unused in the near future.To fund the project, Roberts said the district plans to introduce a $500 million bond referendum. The district will host several meetings to hear from the public before voters will have the option of approving it this November.
DES MOINES, Iowa — More details about a plan to overhaul Des Moines Public Schools Tuesday morning revealed the district could close seven current campuses by 2036.
During the annual State of the School address, Superintendent Ian Roberts and Associate Superintendent Matt Smith outlined their plan called "."
Roberts said, if funded, the plan would restructure grade levels and create multiple 'signature schools' with special programming tailored to student-specific interests. It would also retire the following 7 school buildings and rebuild the Kurtz Opportunity Center:
- Walnut Street School
- Harding Middle School
- McKee Education Center
- Cattell Elementary
- Howe Elementary School
- Stowe Elementary School
- Callanan Middle School
Roberts says retiring some campuses addresses the fact that, on average, the age of a DMPS building is 80 years old. Smith says, reimagining the district will also address falling enrollment numbers, and allow Des Moines to be a competitive option for families.
"This is an investment in a new dawning in Des Moines Public Schools. This is how we get this done. We don't allow ourselves to think about what was, but we leap forward with fortitude to talk about what will be and what can be," Smith said.
Since 2017, shows Des Moines' student population decreased by more than 2,000 students. For each student that transfers out of DMPS,
If the student uses the funding to enroll in a private institution, Des Moines might retain around $1,200, but if the student open enrolls into another public school, the funding will go toward their new district.
As a result, Des Moines is losing millions from the enrollment drop and says it's projecting further decline. Without change, the district says it expects 30% or more of some buildings to go unused in the near future.
To fund the project, Roberts said the district plans to introduce a $500 million bond referendum. The district will host to hear from the public before voters will have the option of approving it this November.
