Des Moines community shares feedback for Reimagining Education plan
Des Moines Public Schools held its final community meeting on Saturday to discuss the Reimagining Education plan, which aims to address declining enrollment by repurposing schools and expanding programs.
"When I think of the positive feedback, I'm referring specifically to the excitement that we're hearing from people around the change that is coming and the changes that are likely to happen over the next 10 years," DMPS Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts said.
District leaders spent the last week and a half listening to feedback through 19 public meetings in-person and online.
Dozens of people, including community leaders, families, teachers and students, attended the meeting Saturday morning. The session also included a presentation and discussion in Spanish.
The next 10 years is when Des Moines Public Schools leaders hope to reimagine education by repurposing schools and expanding programs to address declining enrollment.
Part of the plan includes closing two middle schools and four elementary schools permanently.
Some parents have expressed concerns about that, and it's a topic discussed in these public meetings.
"What we have seen is not necessarily resistance and pushback. There is an appetite by many individuals for us to engage in more conversations. They're asking why. They're asking what else is possible," Roberts said.
Next, a data team will look at the feedback from the 19 meetings and put together a report of the findings.
Roberts hopes to share the findings with the school board next month.
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