Many Voices with a Common Goal: Educating All Students

There are more than 100 languages spoken in the households that make up Des Moines Public Schools. The district serves more than 6,800 English Language Learners with 160 committed and dedicated teachers and staff, including bilingual outreach workers at 50 different sites throughout the community.

The goals of the ELL program are:

• To educate English Language Learners to the same rigorous curriculum standards as all students in the district while achieving English language objectives in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
• To promote pride in students’ cultural and linguistic identities and maintain cultural heritage while preparing students to actively participate within American society.
• To ensure that the educational process is a cooperative effort between families, communities, and DMPS staff.

There is a rising tide of bilingual students in Des Moines, one of the benchmarks of world class schools. The ELL program strives to provide services and programs that best meet the needs of our students and families.

For additional information on ELL programs in Des Moines, please visit the links in the menu to the right or visit ell.dmschools.org.