Cultivating Equity & Excellence Through High Quality Teaching & Learning
“A world-class city like Des Moines requires a world-class public education system that equips all of its children for success both within its classrooms and beyond. This strategic plan reflects the steadfast commitment of DMPS and its more than 5,000 team members to deliver high-quality academic and extra-curricular opportunities for all of our students and families in which excellence, innovation, and equity will be the expectations and the norms.”
– Dr. Robert Lundin, Chief Academic Officer
Priority #1 is our commitment to transforming education in Des Moines Public Schools by fostering an environment where every student thrives.
We envision a future where every graduate is equipped with the skills to excel in college, careers, or the military; where literacy, including digital literacy, is a cornerstone of success; and where equity is not just a goal but a reality. By focusing on high-quality teaching and learning, we aim to close achievement gaps and ensure that excellence is accessible to all students, regardless of their background.
Strategic Objective #1
Strategic Actions
Diploma+ Framework is designed and implemented with fidelity to focus on innovative and alternative pathways.
- Diploma+ options are developed and align to current and future
DMPS facilities. - Course offerings expanded to create equity of access across all
DMPS schools. - Pathways developed for innovative programming at future
Signature Schools. - Communication plan developed.
Key Results
- 100% of adults who support students are fully aware of and understand their student’s individualized plan and status.
- 100% of students have completed their individualized graduation plan aligned to their interests and rigorous coursework.
Strategic Actions
The 9th Grade on Track model has been implemented with fidelity to ensure safeguards are in place, helping students complete the required coursework to stay on track for timely graduation.
Key Results
95% of ninth grade students are on track as defined by earning at least 5 credits by the end of freshman year and failing no more than one semester of one core course.
Strategic Actions
Teachers use evidence-based, culturally responsive instructional strategies to deliver grade level content so that students have access to instruction that is aligned to grade level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful (GLEAM ™️).
Key Results
- 100% of teachers plan for and implement the GLEAM™️ instructional framework with fidelity as measured by GLEAM™️ inventories.
- 90% of all students are on grade level in Math, ELA and Science as measured by ISASP.
Strategic Actions
Design and implement a two-year training that ensures all new hires are equipped with the knowledge, skills and mindsets to ensure their classroom instruction is aligned to grade level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful (GLEAM™️) and the DMPS expectations for all children.
Key Results
- 100% of new instructional staff have been trained by the end of their first two years in the district.
- 100% of teachers feel equipped to deliver instruction that is aligned to grade level, engaging, affirming and meaningful (GLEAM™️) by the end of their second year.
- 100% of school leaders and instructional coaches feel equipped to support teachers with delivering instruction that is aligned to grade level, engaging, affirming and meaningful (GLEAM™️) by the end of their second year.
- 90% of all students are on grade level in Math, ELA and Science as measured by ISASP.
Strategic Actions
Design and implement a comprehensive digital literacy strategy that includes technology standards integration into curriculum, educator training, staffing, equitable technology access, literacy assessments, digital citizenship, and leveraging personalized learning technologies.
Key Results
- A digital literacy curriculum has been developed, codified, and ready for implementation.
- 100% of instructional staff have been trained and are implementing the digital literacy curriculum with fidelity as measured by classroom observations and leadership walks.
- 100% of DMPS students will participate in newly launched comprehensive digital literacy program.
- 100% of DMPS students will meet grade level standards in digital literacy as measured by the tools and methods selected in the development of the digital literacy curriculum.
Strategic Objective #2
Strategic Actions
Design and implement a comprehensive professional learning approach that incorporates Science of Reading concepts and practices across various content areas.
Key Results
- 100% of classrooms incorporate Science of Reading concepts and practices as measured by classroom observations and leadership walks.
- 100% of instructional staff have been trained in Science of Reading tenets and language rich acquisition practices.
- 100% of school leaders give actional feedback to teachers on literacy instruction.
Strategic Actions
Instruction across all DMPS classrooms, across various content areas, incorporate the Science of Reading concepts and practices and language acquisition strategies to support student literacy.
Key Results
- 90% of students are proficient or advanced as measured by ISASP.
- 90% of students will measure as low risk or college pathway on FastBridge screening assessments.
Strategic Actions
Design and implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that incorporates the district’s cycle for assessment and data review, offering targeted support and early intervention for students in Tier 2 and Tier 3.
Key Results
- 100% of schools will have established an MTSS Playbook aligned to the District MTSS framework and use it with fidelity and consistency.
- 100% of staff are trained on effective implementation of the District MTSS system.
- 80% of students meet benchmark on screener assessments.
Strategic Actions
Establish a tiered framework with the DMPS decision tree designed to enable effective data-driven responses.
Key Results
100% of students that need interventions will be supported through the DMPS decision tree.
Strategic Objective #3
Strategic Actions
Conduct a comprehensive district-wide and departmental needs assessment that analyzes policies and practices that negatively impact students and take action to address the findings.
Key Results
- The enrollment representation in DMPS programs mirrors our district’s demographic data.
- The rate of student behavior referrals by demographic category mirrors our district’s demographic data.
- Decrease the rate of disproportionality in achievement results for student groups by 5% each year.
- Increase student sense of belonging on the Panorama survey by 2 points per year (2 points per year is statistically significant improvement).
Strategic Actions
- Expand Universal Full-Day Preschool and use research-based curricula to provide rigorous, age-appropriate learning opportunities to our students, focused on communities most in need of academic support and decrease barriers to access.
- Increase access to Universal Full-Day Preschool and implement research-based curricula to offer rigorous, age-appropriate learning opportunities, prioritizing communities with the greatest need for academic support.
Key Results
- 100% of DMPS and partner schools will implement the DMPS high quality Preschool framework.
- Increase the number of students in DMPS or partner preschools by 5%, annually.
- DMPS PreK students are identified as “low risk” on fall screening assessments for kindergarten.
- DMPS PreK students remain “low risk” on screening assessments throughout elementary school.
9th Grade On Track
The 9th Grade on Track initiative is designed to increase the number of first-time freshmen students who, by the end of their first year of high school, are on track to graduate from high school within four years.