DMPS and city outline Reimagine Education implementation: construction on track, Moulton moved, two options proposed for signature-school enrollment

Des Moines Public Schools and city leaders met in a joint work session March 24 for an in-depth Reimagine Education update during which district project manager Dr. Becca Harris described progress on construction, school transitions, regional alignment, signature-school design and rollout, CTE makerspaces, athletics investments, and a communications plan.

Construction and schedule: Harris said year-1 construction projects are either on track or ahead of schedule. A trial of the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) procurement model produced higher-than-expected quotes for one classroom-addition project; the district pivoted that project back to a design-bid-build approach and reported no net delay across the portfolio. Year-2 design work is also largely ahead of schedule.

School transitions and Moulton: Walnut Street families and staff placement processes are complete, and the district has set a target move-out date of June 18, 2026. Moulton staff and students will be relocated to Kurtz Opportunity School for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years. Harris said demolition of the Moulton building is scheduled for December (pre-demolition work will precede it) and the district is finalizing transportation plans to provide transportation for all Moulton students during the two-year transition. The city has partnered with the district on logistics and community supports.

Regional alignment and signature schools: The district is developing a three-region model (Northwest, Northeast, South) and plans a boundary review process this summer. Harris previewed two enrollment models for signature schools for community feedback: an "opt-out" model that enrolls neighborhood students automatically (with within-district transfer available for families who decline) and an "opt-in" model where families choose signature-school enrollment and seats are prioritized (neighborhood first, then region, then district, then out of district). The district emphasized functional capacity limits, prioritization rules, and the need for a long runway of community engagement and communications.

Program rollout, working groups and equity: The district used small working groups (principals, teaching-and-learning staff, content specialists) to draft program recommendations and plans to hold three rounds of community engagement (staff, affected families, and broader multilingual outreach). Harris said the district favors a phased rollout option for new PK-8 signature programs to protect program quality, give staff time to be trained (Montessori requires advanced certification), and allow family transitions to be staged. Board and council members raised equity concerns about whether highly resourced families could dominate enrollment; Harris and the superintendent said prioritization and outreach (multilingual materials, principal-led community meetings) will be central to mitigating those risks.

CTE makerspaces and athletics: The district plans CTE makerspaces at middle schools to provide hands-on exploration aligned with signature high-school pathways and regional workforce needs; some experiences will be embedded for all students while others will be opt-in. Harris said region-level athletics facilities (stadiums, pooled pools, synthetic turf fields) and non-bond funds have been set aside to support regional competition and access.

Communications and next steps: The district is developing a change-management-informed communications plan with an external partner focused on psychology of change, bundling initiatives to reduce change fatigue, targeted feedback opportunities, and consistency. Harris said the boundary committee will present recommendations to the board committee in October, with implementation planning, marketing and enrollment processes running January'July in advance of the following school year.

City-district coordination: City Manager Scott Sanders and council members signaled support and offered coordination on sidewalks, transportation, neighborhood investments and other cross-agency matters tied to the district's projects.

What remains unresolved: Several operational details remain to be developed pending community input and the choice between opt-in and opt-out enrollment pathways, including precise transportation rules for students who move residence, phased rollout timelines for specific signature programs, and cost details for equipment and training. The district intends to present options and receive community feedback over the coming months.