Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Reimagining Education Bond topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Des Moines district launches public feedback on $265 million reimagining education bond and outlines Year 1 progress
Summary
Des Moines Independent Comm School District officials presented a Year 1 update on the $265 million reimagining education bond, announced a community feedback period open through June 30 and described initial construction, programming and boundary-planning steps.
The Des Moines Independent Comm School District on Tuesday launched a public feedback period, asking families, students and staff to weigh in by June 30 on plans shaped by the $265 million reimagining education bond approved by voters on Nov. 4, 2025, officials said.
"When we talk about reimagining education, it's easy to focus on buildings and construction projects, but this work is really about students," Interim Superintendent Matt Smith said, noting the district serves about 30,000 students.
District project manager Dr. Becca Harris told attendees the bond funds a five‑year plan to organize the district into three regions, develop signature schools and create career pathways. Harris said design work is complete for four initial construction projects and that the district will break ground this month on a set of projects that include three middle‑school CTE maker spaces and a classroom addition; additional elementary classroom additions are planned for this fall.
The bond-funded programming includes a set of six PK–8 signature-school visions developed by curriculum working groups: a dual-language program at Hoy Brewbaker, an arts-focused school at Molton (district materials list a Molton Arts Academy), and Montessori-style options at several elementary schools, Harris said. Middle-school maker spaces are expected to offer topics such as computer programming, robotics, health and medical exploration, business and cybersecurity.
To collect broad input, the district released explanatory videos and surveys in five languages (English, Spanish, Burmese, Swahili and Kurin) and will provide text versions in additional languages. "We encourage students, families, staff, and community members to learn more, watch the videos, and share feedback during the month of June," Harris said.
The working groups will review community feedback after the survey closes and use it to refine program visions, student pathways and enrollment proposals. Feedback on enrollment models will be shared with the district's boundary committee this summer to help inform a boundary proposal the committee will take to the community in early August.
Officials invited the media and school communities to attend upcoming groundbreakings and said details will be posted on reimagine.dmsschools.org and distributed through school communications. Harris said finalized plans and a summary of how community input was used will be released this fall.
Next steps: the feedback survey closes June 30; working groups will analyze input over the summer and the boundary committee will develop initial proposals to be shared in early August.
