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Des Moines district says Reimagine Ed construction on track, Molton students to relocate with district transportation
Summary
District staff told city and board members that Year 1 bond projects are on schedule after shifting procurement from CMAR to design‑bid‑build, and that Molton students will move to Kurt’s Opportunity School with the district providing transportation for two years; demolition is planned for late 2026.
Dr. Harris, the district’s lead project manager for Reimagine Ed implementation, told the joint meeting that construction work tied to the bond is “on track or ahead of schedule” and that the district has changed its procurement approach for some projects.
She said the district initially planned to use a construction‑manager‑at‑risk (CMAR) model but received bids above budget. “We were quoted much higher than we had budgeted for,” she said, and the district decided to “pivot and move to the design‑bid‑build model.” Dr. Harris said the change did not cause delays because overall project timing had previously put many items ahead of schedule.
On school transitions, Dr. Harris said Walnut Street families who sought within‑district transfers received their first or second choice and that staff placements for next year are complete. The district plans an end‑of‑year celebration and set a target move‑out date for Walnut Street of June 18, 2026.
She clarified the Molton timeline after recent reporting, saying the district will not demolish the Molton building until November (pre‑demolition work will precede that), expects demolition to finish in December, and is targeting new construction to start in January or February. “Molton will be housed at Kurt’s Opportunity School for the ’26‑’27 and ’27‑’28 school years,” she said, and the district will offer transportation for all Molton students for the full two‑year relocation.
The district also said it is coordinating with city partners to help maintain neighborhood services—after‑school care, pantries and other community supports—so families do not have to travel across the city during the temporary relocation.
City manager Scott Sanders said the city will review departmental responsibilities and supports and highlighted housing and transportation as priorities where city resources can help the transition. The evening ended without a vote on the construction or transition items; the presentation was followed by routine procedural business.
Next steps: the district will finish required pre‑demolition work at Molton, post specifics of transportation plans to families, and proceed with design and bidding under the design‑bid‑build model for affected projects.
