Becoming the Model for Urban Education

At Des Moines Public Schools, we take seriously our vision of becoming the nation’s model for urban education. We have embarked on an aggressive path for accelerating student achievement that we call Schools for Rigor. Our classrooms are transforming into student-focused learning laboratories, where teachers facilitate student growth though aligned and purposeful learning tasks that require students to question and challenge one another and take ownership of their education. The Schools for Rigor model has been implemented successfully in a small number of schools around the country in a variety of settings; Des Moines will be the first to apply this model district-wide.

Each of our 33,000 students comes to us with unique needs, passions, and strengths. We aim to engage each student where they are, and partner with them to find their passion and fulfill their potential. From neighborhood schools with small class sizes and a student-computer ratio of 1:1, to the high-quality teachers, staff and community partners, we are striving to become the model public school district.

And as our student body becomes more diverse, so do their education options. From preschool to high school, we are proud to offer the widest array of educational options in the state. With Iowa’s only public Montessori program and the state’s first International Baccalaureate program, DMPS leads the way. With the state’s top-ranked Advanced Placement program, nationally recognized career and technical programs, and innovative Flex Academy, students have almost unlimited, quality choices.

Thank you for choosing Des Moines Public Schools.