DES MOINES, Iowa — At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, no one would have ever imagined Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts’s tenure would end with his arrest by immigration officials.
Now, with Roberts receiving his sentence, Local 5 is looking back at how he got here — and what’s ahead for him, the school district and the community.
Who is Ian Roberts?
Des Moines Public Schools introduced Ian Roberts to the public on May 17, 2023 as the district’s 15th superintendent.
“I remain committed to making sure that as I collaborate with every district leader, every school leader, every teacher and staff that the 31,000 children who knock on our doors every single day in school year 23-24 will get a quality education,” Roberts said during his introduction…