Why Do We Need to Reimagine Education?
For the past several years, student enrollment in DMPS has been declining. The pandemic caused enrollment to slip further, and our projections indicate that enrollment will continue to drop in the future. While fewer students means less revenue for our district, it also means that facility and space needs will change.
Many school districts throughout the nation are faced with a similar situation, and their typical response is to reduce costs by cutting programs and closing schools. Student enrollment has a significant impact on the operations of every school district. While districts with an increasing number of students must add facilities, districts with declining enrollment face different challenges, including too much classroom space to maintain.
For DMPS, the Reimagining Education initiative is the opportunity to think differently about how to create a new system of schools that will improve the outcomes for students, rather than just making cuts to the current system.
What Will Reimagining Education Look Like?
To address enrollment loss and inadequate funding, rather than just adapting the current education model, the Reimagining Education initiative will think differently about how to deliver equitable learning for all students in all neighborhoods of the district.
The Facility Planning Committee is looking for ways to improve outcomes for students while being more efficient with district dollars, so DMPS can prioritize its people over its buildings. The possible changes that could come from the Reimagining Education initiative might include:
- Adjustment of school boundaries
- Creation of new schools and programs
- Additions to existing schools
- Consolidation of schools and facilities
- Changes to the existing K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade configuration
Although the details of the draft proposal are still being decided, the Reimagining Education initiative will likely include efforts to create schools, programs and facilities that will attract and retain families into the district:
Preparing Students for Successful Futures After Graduation:
Diploma Plus is a program the district is implementing to provide more opportunities to students and to better prepare them for their future. Diploma Plus would give every DMPS student a clear pathway to explore their interests and prepare for their career, college or whatever is next for them. The learning will start in preschool with important life skills and build throughout all the grade levels. By the time they graduate, students will have multiple opportunities to help them prepare for the future, resulting in special Diploma Plus distinctions and certificates.
Increasing Access to Full-Day Preschool:
By prioritizing full-day preschool programs and designing a model where every student in the district has access to the program, the district can help create a solid foundation for the cognitive, social and emotional development of each student. Access to full-day preschool has been proven to support future learning.
Redesigning the Middle School Experience:
The transition between elementary and middle school is an important part of a student’s learning experience. We are looking to reimagine our middle schools as vibrant hubs of exploration by integrating career and technical education and interest-based learning so students can discover their passions. This kind of learning leads to higher student achievement.
Providing High-Quality K-12 Activity and Athletic Programming and Facilities:
Activities, clubs and athletics play an important role for many students and families. Investments in high-quality athletic programs, intramural leagues and extracurricular activities increase student interest and engagement in the life of a school, which then improves their academic success.
Enhancing Interest-Based Signature School Programming:
Signature Schools are magnet-like schools focused on specific topics that immerse students in learning that is of interest to them. There is no decision yet about what these might focus on in Des Moines, but other districts have Signature Schools that focus on things like health sciences, arts, communications or STEM.