The Des Moines School Board experienced extremes in 2025, from the shocking arrest of then-Superintendent Ian Roberts to voters’ overwhelming passage of a 20-year, $265 million general obligation bond that will reshape the district.
As the Des Moines School Board moves into the second half of the 2025-26 school year, members and district officials continue to work to rebuild the public’s trust after Guyana-born Roberts’ Sept. 26 arrest by immigration officials for overstaying a previously unreported 2024 deportation order. They also are navigating state and federal investigations related to the district’s hiring practices; working to comply with a state financial audit; and seeking to balance the upcoming 2026-27 school year budget.
In addition, the school district is also in the midst rolling out the bond-financed five-year Reimagining Education, Reinvigorating Schools plan, which aims to raise student retention and academic outcomes. It includes building one new elementary school, closing several schools and expanding instructional offerings, including career and technical education…