Spotlight on Des Moines Public Schools: 2017 election

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Des Moines Public Schools Elections
General election date
September 12, 2017
Enrollment (14-15)
34,355 students

This page was Ballotpedia's daily spotlight on the 2017 school board election for Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa. We highlighted a new element of the candidates, campaigns, and district each day through the election.

Four of the seven seats on the Des Moines Public Schools school board in Iowa were up for nonpartisan general election on September 12, 2017. The race for the two at-large seats on the board included incumbent Rob Barron and challengers Louisa Dykstra and Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley. Barron won another term on the board, and Shelley won the other at-large seat, which was left open by incumbent Connie Boesen, who instead ran for the Des Moines City Council. In their bids for re-election to the District 2 and District 4 seats, incumbents Dionna Langford and Teree Caldwell-Johnson ran unopposed and won additional terms on the board.

September 13

Election results

Incumbent Rob Barron and newcomer Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley won the two at-large seats that were up for election on September 12, 2017. Barron received 37.56 percent of the vote, and Shelley received 31.27 percent of the vote, defeating challenger Louisa Dykstra by 116 votes, according to unofficial election night results. Unopposed incumbents Dionna Langford and Teree Caldwell-Johnson won re-election to the District 2 and 4 seats, respectively.

Des Moines Public Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rob Barron Incumbent	37.71%	3,791
Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley	31.30%	3,147
Louisa Dykstra	29.94%	3,010
Write-in votes	1.05%	106
Total Votes		10,054
Source: Polk County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, "School Election Tuesday, September 12, 2017: Official Results," accessed September 18, 2017

Des Moines Public Schools, District 2 General Election, 4-year term, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Dionna Langford Incumbent (unopposed)	97.79%	840
Write-in votes	2.21%	19
Total Votes		859
Source: Polk County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, "School Election Tuesday, September 12, 2017: Official Results," accessed September 18, 2017

Des Moines Public Schools, District 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Teree Caldwell-Johnson Incumbent (unopposed)	95.12%	663
Write-in votes	4.88%	34
Total Votes		697
Source: Polk County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, "School Election Tuesday, September 12, 2017: Official Results," accessed September 18, 2017

September 12

Election day details

Des Moines voter? What you need to know for Tuesday, September 12:
Where are the polling locations?	Click here for Des Moines polling locations.
What time are the polls open?	Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time

All citizens of the school district are voting on two at-large seats on the school board. They can choose two of the three following candidates. The winners of the race will serve four-year terms.

Rob Barron		Louisa Dykstra		Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley
	Incumbent Member, 2013-2017 Response to Ballotpedia's candidate survey		Response to Ballotpedia's candidate survey		Response to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

Two other seats are also on the ballot, but they can only be voted on by residents of specific districts. In District 2, the following candidate is on the ballot:

Dionna Langford
	Incumbent Member, 2015-2017

In District 4, the following candidate is on the ballot:

Teree Caldwell-Johnson
	Incumbent Member, 2006-2017 Response to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

September 11

Voting tomorrow? Here's what you need to know

Tomorrow, Des Moines voters will decide who should serve on four of the seven district school board seats. Two of the seats are elected at large, and voters have three candidates to choose from in that election: incumbent Rob Barron and challengers Louisa Dykstra and Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley. The other two seats on the ballot represent District 2 and District 4. Incumbents Dionna Langford and Teree Caldwell-Johnson are running unopposed for those seats, respectively. The winners of all four seats will receive four-year terms on the board.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Photo identification was not required to vote in this election. Click here for Des Moines polling locations.

September 8

At-large candidates raise similar contributions; Dykstra leads in spending

The three candidates running for the two at-large seats on the board had campaign contribution totals within $1,000 of each other, according to reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on September 7, 2017. Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley raised the most money with $8,968.00, and Louisa Dykstra raised the least with $7,962.00. Rob Barron raised a total of $7,974.37. Dykstra reported spending $7,756.32 on her campaign, while Shelley and Barron reported spending $3,193.69 and $897.97, respectively. When combined with the two incumbents running unopposed for the District 2 and 4 seats, the candidates received a total of $25,179.37 and spent a total of $11,947.98.

Candidate	Balance prior to election	Contributions	Expenditures	Cash on hand
At-large
Rob Barron	$0.00	$7,974.37	$897.97	$7,076.40
Louisa Dykstra	$0.00	$7,962.00	$7,756.32	$205.68
Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley	$0.00	$8,968.00	$3,193.69	$5,774.31
District 2
Dionna Langford	$287.47	$275.00	$100.00	$462.47
District 4
Teree Caldwell-Johnson	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

September 7

Des Moines Public Schools budget: debt and budget history

According to its financial report for the 2015-2016 school year, Des Moines Public Schools had $175.8 million of debt as of June 30, 2016, with $10.7 million due within one year of that date. At the end of June 2015, the district's debt was $186.1 million. According to state law, a district may only issue debt up to 5 percent of its total assessed value. The debt limitation of Des Moines Public Schools was $567.3 million as of June 2016.

From 1993 to 2013, the Des Moines school district had an annual average of $311,454,190 in revenue and $307,027,190 in expenditures, according to the United States Census Bureau's survey of school system finances. The district had a yearly average of $26,165,714 in outstanding debt. The district retired $2,530,048 of its debt and issued $8,466,143 in new debt each year on average.

September 6

City council votes to hire outside company to manage crossing guards

The Des Moines City Council voted 6-1 on June 26, 2017, to hire an outside company to manage a crossing guard program for the 22 elementary schools in Des Moines Public Schools. Prior to the vote, the crossing guard program was managed by the Des Moines Police Department in partnership with the school district.

That partnership was first established in 1964. The police department said it no longer wanted to be in charge of the crossing guard program, however, due to a lack of interest from district residents to work for the program and an increase in crossing guards not showing up to their posts. In 2016, officers covered crossing guard duties between 40 and 60 hours a month on average, according to The Des Moines Register. "It's time-consuming. We bear all the responsibility and liability," said Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert. "There's too much at stake and too many other things to do."

Sgt. Chip Beardsley, who managed the crossing guard program in 2016, said that low unemployment in Des Moines made it hard to find people to employ in the program. The program paid up to $16 an hour for two one-hour periods per day.

In 2016, the crossing guard program cost $360,000, and the city split that cost with school district. The city estimated that hiring an outside company to manage the program would cost $438,000 for the 2017-2018 school year, as the police department would be involved to help with the transition. After that school year, the city expected the cost to decrease as the police department's involvement decreased.

Prior to the vote, some city council members questioned why the city helped pay for the program. "This should have been changed a long time ago," said Councilman Skip Moore. "They're called school crossing guards, not city of Des Moines crossing guards."

Councilwoman Linda Westergaard said, "We have a wonderful police department and they’re very busy protecting our citizens. I think there’s a better use of their time than to be crossing guards."

Des Moines Public Schools chief operations officer Bill Good disagreed with Moore and Westergaard. "The actions of adults and vehicles are not in our control," said Good. "We feel strongly that it best lies with the police department, who can immediately respond and ticket or correct the actions of what happens on city streets."

The arguments over who should be responsible for the crossing guard program were similar to those expressed when the program was started in 1964, according to The Des Moines Register. At that time, the school district agreed to pay half of the cost of the program as long as the city managed it.

September 5

Des Moines Education Association endorses all three incumbents and one newcomer

The Des Moines Education Association endorsed incumbent Rob Barron and challenger Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley for the two at-large seats, incumbent Dionna Langford for the District 2 seat, and incumbent Teree Caldwell-Johnson for the District 4 seat. Other local organizations have also made endorsements in the race. The South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO endorsed Barron and Shelley, and the AFSCME Iowa Council 61 endorsed Barron and Caldwell-Johnson. Barron also received endorsements from Plumbers Local 33 and Communication Workers of America Local 7102.

Elected officials have also offered endorsements. At-large challenger Louisa Dykstra was endorsed by Windsor Heights Mayor Diana Willits, and Barron was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), whom he previously worked for.

September 4

Des Moines Public Schools budget: Expenditures (2015-2016)

Des Moines Public Schools' expenses totaled $485.9 million between June 2015 and June 2016, according to a financial report released by the district. This was a 5.6 percent increase from the preceding year. The major categories of expenses were instruction, support services, and Iowa's Area Education Agencies (AEA) flow-through. You can view the district's expenditures broken down in the chart below.

With seven school board members and $485.9 million in district expenditures, each board member's spending power was $69.4 million between June 2015 and June 2016.

September 1

At-large candidates respond to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

Des Moines school board candidates were asked to answer three to five of the 45 total questions included in Ballotpedia's survey. Because the candidates could choose which questions they wanted to respond to, comparisons cannot be made for every response. At-large candidates Rob Barron, Louisa Dykstra, and Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley, however, did respond to some of the same questions. Today we are highlighting those overlapping responses.

Ballotpedia's 2017 Des Moines school board candidate survey
What are the benefits or strengths of an increasingly diverse student body?
Barron's response	Candidate did not answer this question.
Dykstra's response	“ Des Moines is home to many large global businesses, and they need employees who can work with colleagues from around the world. DMPS students are well-prepared for that world, having been around people from different countries and backgrounds every day. ” —Louisa Dykstra (2017)
Shelley's response	“ As educators, we talk about preparing students for a global, twenty-first century economy. The students in Des Moines Public Schools live this every day in their classrooms. They have the opportunity to interact with students that come from different backgrounds, hold different beliefs, have different opinions, and come from differing family structures among others. Our students won’t be surprised by a workplace with diverse individuals and will know how to navigate and communicate in these future workplaces with ease. We know we are preparing students to join an ever diverse workplace, often in roles and positions that haven’t even been created yet. The diversity in Des Moines helps to prepare students to be competitive and successful in long after graduation. ” —Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)
What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?
Barron's response	“ My full-time job is at Grand View University and we consider this question regularly so that we are preparing our students to succeed in the post-college job market. I’ve had many conversations with employers to learn about what skills and qualities they value in job applicants and in candidates for promotion. One model we have used to frame our discussions at Grand View is the “T-Shaped Professional” which separates skills for innovation from skills for collaboration. Skills for innovation are mastery of content, a specialized skill, or content knowledge. Skills for innovation are what is often measured by standardized testing. They are essential to future success and half of what DMPS must be successful with all of our children, but many skills for innovation are learned after someone finishes their formal education. We have all had job experiences where we have had to learn new skills to become better at our job or transition into a new job. ” —Rob Barron (2017)
Dykstra's response	“ The most important thing employers are saying they need is for kids to be adaptable to an ever-changing workplace. So schools need to be innovative and adapt to the changing world as well! Students need to think creatively, work collaboratively, and be problem solvers. ” —Louisa Dykstra (2017)
Shelley's response	Candidate did not answer this question.
What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?
Barron's response	“ I describe our job as translating public values into school policy. Board members are publicly elected, but don’t necessarily have expertise in education. So we are responsible for translating the will of the community into districtwide policy that the education professionals with DMPS are responsible for implementing. ” —Rob Barron (2017)
Dykstra's response	“ The school board member has two main roles - to be the voice of the community to the schools (the better known role), but also to be the voice of the schools to the community. Board members should be representing the schools at neighborhood meetings, chamber of commerce meetings, and in the media. They should be strong advocates for our public schools. ” —Louisa Dykstra (2017)
Shelley's response	Candidate did not answer this question.
How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?
Barron's response	Candidate did not answer this question.
Dykstra's response	“ I have already started this part of the board role. I spent many days at the State Capitol advocating on behalf of DMPS. I'm also on the Education Workgroup for the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Government Policy Council. I've been meeting with neighborhood associations, connecting with people who don't currently have kids in school to tell about our schools' strengths and challenges. ” —Louisa Dykstra (2017)
Shelley's response	“ As a potential at-large representative, I have been working on creating relationships with community groups and listening to their stories and experiences. I also have been reaching out to local unions and their associated businesses, community non-profits, neighborhood groups, local legislators, and community leaders. It is through conversation with these leaders that truth about the groups and communities they represent can be brought to the board. Ongoing relationship building and coalition is a key priority. Meeting parents and community members where they are, from National Night out in the King neighborhood to community dinners in River Bend to meeting with and talking with parents in neighborhoods across the city, these are the important relationships I am dedicated to building. I want to truly be a representative for all, and this is why I’m dedicated to running At-Large for the Des Moines School Board. ” —Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)
What is your 20-year vision for the Des Moines public schools? How might we distinguish our school district in education over the next 20 years?
Barron's response	“ The Board and the District have adopted the same vision for DMPS: To be the model for urban education. Des Moines is different in many ways from every other school district in the State of Iowa. We are twice as large as the second largest district. Though we educate 6% of all Iowa students in DMPS, we educate 16% of all Latino students and 21% of all African-American students and 75% of DMPS students qualify for free and reduced price lunch because of their parents' incomes. Demographically we are more alike large, urban school districts in other states. ” —Rob Barron (2017)
Dykstra's response	“ Part of the reason public education has fallen out of favor politically is that many people believe our schools are outdated and are resistant to change. Everyone involved in schools needs to have a futuristic mindset. We need to always be seeking the new best practices, be very connected with how workplaces are evolving, and provide a culture of innovation. Our classrooms in 20 years should look very different than they did even 5 years ago. Students should be active, working on real-world projects, generating ideas and solving problems. ” —Louisa Dykstra (2017)
Shelley's response	Candidate did not answer this question.

August 31

Teree Caldwell-Johnson responds to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

Today we are highlighting the answers District 4 incumbent Teree Caldwell-Johnson submitted to Ballotpedia's survey for Des Moines school board candidates. The survey questions appear bolded, and Caldwell-Johnson's responses follow below.

Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying our faculty, staff, administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?

“	With the increasing diversity of the Des Moines Schools the level of diversity in our staff ranks becomes even more important. I believe that having a racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse faculty, staff and administration provides students with multiple perspectives that allows them to gain a greater understanding of the world around them. I have, for many years, been an advocate for diversifying our faculty, staff and administration to better reflect the diversity of our student body. Improving the diversity of the district’s staff can help all students. Staff of color are positive role models, break down negative stereotypes and prepare students to live and work in a diverse and multicultural society. A more diverse workforce can also inform and support the culturally sensitive practices most effective with today’s diverse student populations. I believe that intentionally recruiting a diverse workforce that reflects the students being served in the district must be actively pursued and become a component of our board goals and the district’s operational and instructional strategies. With the support of a majority of the board policy can be developed. The board’s policy governance framework can be utilized to create a policy on diversity in staffing while establishing an annual monitoring schedule and regular monitoring report to track progress. Over the years individual board members have expressed a desire for greater diversity in our staff but we have not actualized that desire by gaining board consensus followed by the creation of board policy and monitoring. In my opinion, this should be a goal of the Board in the coming year and I am committed to working towards this.	”
—Teree Caldwell-Johnson (2017)

Teachers have lost their bargaining rights. Will you support the teacher’s union even as the budget tightens?

“	Chapter 20 was a bipartisan piece of legislation enacted in 1974, signed into law by Republican Governor Robert Ray. Fast forward to 2017 when Iowa’s Republican Governor and Legislature turned back the clock on collective bargaining in the state of Iowa. With the erosion of Chapter 20 collective bargaining in the state, the scope of negotiations is limited and public employees will have very few mandatory subjects of bargaining. Chapter 20 will impact all bargaining units of DMPS including DMEA and AFSCME that represent the vast majority of our represented employees. I have and will always been a supporter of individuals covered under our collective bargaining contracts. and while in tough times it may require some 'give and take' on both sides, I will do my best to balance the interests of the district while supporting the needs of all employees.	”
—Teree Caldwell-Johnson (2017)

Would you support more local control over (or creative use of) the budget? If so, how might you achieve this?

“	The ability of Des Moines Public Schools to effectively execute on its mission and its promise to our students and graduates is inextricable tied to our ability to fund our operations. I have been and will always be an advocate for a sustainable funding approach that at some point may require the State to rethink its school funding formula. Until that happens we will be challenged to develop a balanced budget that meets the many and varied needs of our district while at the same time holding the line on taxes. Reviewing solvency ratios and evaluating other budget strategies that maximize all levies and funds within the limits of the law will be key to our ability to meet the demands of the largest school district in the state of Iowa. As school districts throughout the state work to keep pace with the growing costs of doing business it is clear that the state’s School Aid Funding Formula, developed in the 1970s, is not working and needs to be overhauled. Unlike municipalities that are governed by Home Rule, school boards operate under Dillon’s Rule. Under the rule, school boards are allowed to use only those powers and abilities that are specifically allowed by law. The use of categorical funds are subject to strict interpretations based on Iowa Code and administrative rule, and school districts are bound by the narrowest interpretation of law. With nearly 80% of the district’s budgeted allocated to personnel and modest to low/no increases in state aid, the district’s cost of doing business is outpacing the funds available. I have long been a proponent of greater flexibility over categorical funding and the opportunity for local elected official to make decisions about how funds can be allocated in an effort to better support all of the district’s needs. I believe that there are three paths to increased flexibility for local school districts. An aggressive legislative agenda that targets the funding formula for an overhaul and has bi-partisan support. Advancing legislation that provides greater flexibility in administering and using the various categorical funds available to school districts. Overturning Dillon’s Rule and allowing school districts to operate in much the same way city’s do under Home Role Approval of any and/or all of the aforementioned options would provide more local control and or increased creativity in use of existing budgeted resources.	”
—Teree Caldwell-Johnson (2017)

Data suggests harsher disciplinary actions are being taken against nonwhite students. How do you make sense of this data? What sort of policies would you implement to improve racial equality and fair treatment of all students? What sort of professional development programs would you implement in support of this effort?

“	While we have made strides in the disproportionate treatment of minorities, the board has be vigilant in not only monitoring the trends to determine progress on this front, we have also adopted policy focused on equity and one specifically focused on males of color. The board has established its policy and expectations on both fronts and now it will be our job to monitor the Superintendents progress in addressing the issues of disproportionality and increased academic achievement of males of color. We receive student achievement monitoring reports throughout the year with disaggregated data to include a breakout by race/ethnicity, gender, FRL, ELL and SPED. The Males of Color monitoring report is provided twice annually and again, provides disaggregated data to help us track trends and progress towards closing the gap in achievement and addressing the disproportionate treatment of students.	”
—Teree Caldwell-Johnson (2017)

August 30

Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley responds to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

Today we are highlighting the answers Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley submitted to Ballotpedia's survey for Des Moines school board candidates. The survey questions appear bolded, and Shelley's responses follow below.

What are the benefits or strengths of an increasingly diverse student body?

“	As educators, we talk about preparing students for a global, twenty-first century economy. The students in Des Moines Public Schools live this every day in their classrooms. They have the opportunity to interact with students that come from different backgrounds, hold different beliefs, have different opinions, and come from differing family structures among others. Our students won’t be surprised by a workplace with diverse individuals and will know how to navigate and communicate in these future workplaces with ease. We know we are preparing students to join an ever diverse workplace, often in roles and positions that haven’t even been created yet. The diversity in Des Moines helps to prepare students to be competitive and successful in long after graduation.	”
—Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)

How will you retain and support good teachers as they are being recruited to other states?

“	Des Moines has dedicated, highly-qualified and trained teachers and staff at every level. We want to keep these staff in Des Moines working with our students. These teachers can be recruited by selling the great work happening in Des Moines and creating agency and buy-in from future prospective employees by describing the impact they can have on kids every day in the district. Further, Des Moines can continue to offer top salaries and benefits to all employees to ensure that staff can continue to do the work they are dedicated to with the dignity they need to take care of their families. Further, giving our teachers high quality professional development that gives them professional license to apply this work in their classroom and direct the work of their teams is important. We hired our teachers and staff to do a job, and need to give them the professional authority to do what’s best for kids. They are the most qualified to make these decisions as they are in the classrooms and schools with kids every day. As a board member, I will trust they are doing this work and support policy that allows them to make these professional decisions for the benefit of our students and community.	”
—Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)

Teachers have lost their bargaining rights. Will you support the teacher’s union even as the budget tightens?

“	Absolutely. Schools run because of the quality people that work with our students every day. Our schools are only as great as the staff that works within them. When we give out staff the dignity they need to take care of their families and the professional trust and license to do what’s best for the kids in their classrooms, we show that we value them. Respecting the collective bargaining process is one of the most American, democratic processes we have. Collective bargaining is about adults sitting across table from one another, discussing the issues at hand, and reaching a compromise. This is a great process to model for our students: all voices are valuable and should be respected. All work and persons are important, and in Des Moines, we take care of our neighbors.	”
—Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

“	As a potential at-large representative, I have been working on creating relationships with community groups and listening to their stories and experiences. I also have been reaching out to local unions and their associated businesses, community non-profits, neighborhood groups, local legislators, and community leaders. It is through conversation with these leaders that truth about the groups and communities they represent can be brought to the board. Ongoing relationship building and coalition is a key priority. Meeting parents and community members where they are, from National Night out in the King neighborhood to community dinners in River Bend to meeting with and talking with parents in neighborhoods across the city, these are the important relationships I am dedicated to building. I want to truly be a representative for all, and this is why I’m dedicated to running At-Large for the Des Moines School Board.	”
—Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)

August 29

Louisa Dykstra responds to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

Today we are highlighting the answers Louisa Dykstra submitted to Ballotpedia's survey for Des Moines school board candidates. The survey questions appear bolded, and Dykstra's responses follow below.

What are the benefits or strengths of an increasingly diverse student body?

“	Des Moines is home to many large global businesses, and they need employees who can work with colleagues from around the world. DMPS students are well-prepared for that world, having been around people from different countries and backgrounds every day.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

How do you measure quality education? Which metrics and modes of evaluation would you use to measure quality of education?

“	Measuring proficiency, the way we have always measured schools, gives us an idea of how kids compare to their peers, but does NOT give information about the quality of a school. Measuring growth from the beginning to the end of the year is what measures the effectiveness of a school.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?

“	The most important thing employers are saying they need is for kids to be adaptable to an ever-changing workplace. So schools need to be innovative and adapt to the changing world as well! Students need to think creatively, work collaboratively, and be problem solvers.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

“	The school board member has two main roles - to be the voice of the community to the schools (the better known role), but also to be the voice of the schools to the community. Board members should be representing the schools at neighborhood meetings, chamber of commerce meetings, and in the media. They should be strong advocates for our public schools.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

“	I have already started this part of the board role. I spent many days at the State Capitol advocating on behalf of DMPS. I'm also on the Education Workgroup for the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Government Policy Council. I've been meeting with neighborhood associations, connecting with people who don't currently have kids in school to tell about our schools' strengths and challenges.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

As funding appears to be a growing concern for the future, what strategies or plans would you advance to ensure our schools are properly funded?

“	The generic 'schools need more money' argument has gotten us 8 years of squeezed budgets. It’s time to deepen the conversation. My strategy has been to be willing to discuss education policy with anyone, to listen to their concerns about public schools, and share accurate data (such as the difference between growth and proficiency). Honest, respectful conversations can turn this around, and make Iowa public schools the top priority in our state again.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What is your strategy for communication flow? How will you communicate about both the successes and challenges the school district is facing? How will the community be able to communicate with you?

“	I plan to keep my Facebook page, email list, and website going after the election, as means of communication. I've already started posting key items on the agenda in advance of each school board meeting, then sharing highlights from each meeting afterward, on my website and on social media (including Linked In, to encourage our businesses leaders to feel more ownership of our public schools). Social media allows for easy questions and answers that many people can learn from.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

Data suggests harsher disciplinary actions are being taken against nonwhite students. How do you make sense of this data? What sort of policies would you implement to improve racial equality and fair treatment of all students? What sort of professional development programs would you implement in support of this effort?

“	Recent data shows that one way to make strides in this area is to make it possible for every student to access quality preschool. The data from those who are able to enroll in preschool shows very little disparity across ethnic groups. But when those students who aren't able to access preschool come to kindergarten, they're already at a disadvantage, both academically and in knowing simple classroom habits and culture. Kids very quickly internalize that they are "bad" kids or "troublemakers" and act accordingly as they get older. We need to use this as part of the argument for the importance of preschool. We need the funding and policies for kids from impoverished homes to truly be able to access preschool. And of course we need to continue implicit bias training for teachers, to move toward real equity.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

Some suggest that equity is being achieved at the cost of higher achieving students, for example funding for gifted programs are being redirected for needs related to increased diversity. What is your opinion on this?

“	We have to serve all students well, from those who grew up in refugee camps and have never been to school, to those needing the highest math classes to prepare them for MIT. Showing specific examples where schools are making lose-lose budget decisions will help turn around the negative school funding trend.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What should the school board relationship with the legislature be? How will you contribute to building this relationship?

“	Since the legislature determines funding and regulations for public schools, school board members should have good relationships with all state legislators in the area, in both parties.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What should the relationship between city officials and school board look like? How will you achieve this type of relationship?

“	City officials and the school board represent the same constituents with the same needs. It is imperative that the city council and school board work closely together, in problem solving and in future planning.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What responsibility does the school hold for the overall health of students? For example, is the district responsible for feeding hungry students? Even in the summer? Should the district be responsible for providing stability to homeless students? What about physical and mental health needs? Who is responsible?

“	Ideally those needs would be taken care of by other agencies or programs, but since those resources have grown more and more scarce while the need has grown, schools have stepped in. I applaud our district for recognizing that students can't learn if they're hungry, dirty, in pain, or don't feel safe. We need to communicate clearly with legislators that schools are using their already scarce resources to fill in this gap.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

What is your 20-year vision for the Des Moines public schools? How might we distinguish our school district in education over the next 20 years?

“	Part of the reason public education has fallen out of favor politically is that many people believe our schools are outdated and are resistant to change. Everyone involved in schools needs to have a futuristic mindset. We need to always be seeking the new best practices, be very connected with how workplaces are evolving, and provide a culture of innovation. Our classrooms in 20 years should look very different than they did even 5 years ago. Students should be active, working on real-world projects, generating ideas and solving problems.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

August 28

Rob Barron responds to Ballotpedia's candidate survey

Ballotpedia, USATalk, and the Interactivity Foundation organized the Des Moines Schools Community Discussion Project for the 2017 election. This involved online discussions of Des Moines voters and residents to discuss their ideas for the school district. The results of these discussions were used to create a survey for school board candidates in order to help them state their positions on important issues in the district. The candidates were asked to answer three to five of the 45 questions included in the survey.

The three candidates running for the two at-large seats—incumbent Rob Barron and challengers Louisa Dykstra and Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley—participated in the survey. Ballotpedia is highlighting their answers over the next few days in alphabetical order. Today we are highlighting the answers Barron submitted. The survey questions appear bolded, and Barron's responses follow below.

What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?

“	My full-time job is at Grand View University and we consider this question regularly so that we are preparing our students to succeed in the post-college job market. I’ve had many conversations with employers to learn about what skills and qualities they value in job applicants and in candidates for promotion. One model we have used to frame our discussions at Grand View is the “T-Shaped Professional” which separates skills for innovation from skills for collaboration. Skills for innovation are mastery of content, a specialized skill, or content knowledge. Skills for innovation are what is often measured by standardized testing. They are essential to future success and half of what DMPS must be successful with all of our children, but many skills for innovation are learned after someone finishes their formal education. We have all had job experiences where we have had to learn new skills to become better at our job or transition into a new job.	”
—Rob Barron (2017)

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

“	I describe our job as translating public values into school policy. Board members are publicly elected, but don’t necessarily have expertise in education. So we are responsible for translating the will of the community into districtwide policy that the education professionals with DMPS are responsible for implementing.	”
—Rob Barron (2017)

As a publicly elected leader, who would you emulate? Who do you look up to? Why? What characteristics/values are most important for a school board member?

“	My political heroes are Robert Kennedy and Tom Harkin. My parents named me for Robert Kennedy which gave me a head start on reading and understanding the politics of the 1960’s. I admire Senator Kennedy’s campaign for the Presidency in 1968 and his commitment to use his power and notoriety to benefit others, namely poor and starving children and families in Mississippi, Native Americans, and farm workers in California. In each case had clear empathy for those living in terrible situations and worked to make their lives better.	”
—Rob Barron (2017)

What is your 20-year vision for the Des Moines public schools? How might we distinguish our school district in education over the next 20 years?

“	The Board and the District have adopted the same vision for DMPS: To be the model for urban education. Des Moines is different in many ways from every other school district in the State of Iowa. We are twice as large as the second largest district. Though we educate 6% of all Iowa students in DMPS, we educate 16% of all Latino students and 21% of all African-American students and 75% of DMPS students qualify for free and reduced price lunch because of their parents' incomes. Demographically we are more alike large, urban school districts in other states.	”
—Rob Barron (2017)

August 25

Candidates discuss education funding and community input at forum

All four candidates who attended a forum on Thursday agreed that state education funding had to increase, and they also agreed that the community could help advocate for more funds. All three at-large candidates—incumbent Rob Barron and challengers Louisa Dykstra and Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley—joined unopposed District 2 incumbent Dionna Langford at a candidate forum hosted by the NAACP of Des Moines in partnership with the Des Moines Chapter of the Links, Inc., the Metro Des Moines League of Women Voters, and seven sorority and fraternity chapters.

Education funding

From left: Dionna Langford, Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley, Louisa Dykstra, and Rob Barron

When asked what had been done and what could be done to expand school funding, every candidate told the 70-plus member audience that the community had to be involved.

Barron said the district's hands were somewhat tied by state laws on how much they could expand funding, but he said the district and the community of Des Moines could "be a loud, forceful advocate." He also said that the district had to convince people outside of urban areas—where he already saw a lot of support—that education funding was important.

Dykstra said that after the presidential election, advocating to expand education funding "practically became [her] full-time job." She joined advocacy groups to discuss the idea of public education as the foundation of the economy with state legislators. She said that businesses were asking for tax breaks at the same time they were saying there were not enough educated workers for their needs. She said she wanted to help bridge the gap between education leaders and business leaders.

Shelley said that society did not value education as it used to. She said teachers were not seen as the experts they were and that state legislators did not speak to them when creating education policy. She said the district needed to give teachers opportunities to give input at the state level.

Langford said that education funding was the number one issue facing public schools both in Des Moines and across Iowa. She said she was impressed with how Superintendent Thomas Ahart and his team of administrators had used the money available to them, but she also said there was not much more they could do. She said expanding education funding had to be a community effort and suggested that all of the groups in the audience come together into a legislative action team or share the same message.

Minority teachers

When asked how they planned to attract, recruit, and hire minority teachers, the candidates again looked to the community. Langford said the district had made strides on this issue by recruiting at colleges and supporting non-teaching staff in becoming certified teachers, but she said these initiatives needed community support to continue as well as expand. She encouraged attendance at school board meetings.

Barron said the community needed to see the value of teaching as a profession. He said the district could not rely on out-of-state recruitment if it wanted to keep teachers for 20- or 30-year careers.

Shelley also spoke of recruiting from the area and starting as early as middle school. She also said the district could target college students in their first or second year of school who were not yet sure which career they wanted to pursue.

Dykstra praised efforts the district had started toward attracting minority teachers. She also looked to the audience, saying the best answer was most likely in the room. She said she looked forward to discussing the issue further and listening to the community.

Academic offerings

When asked what changes needed to be made with the district's academic offerings, Dykstra said the district needed to expand preschool access. She said students who went to preschool were less likely to fall behind their peers in later grades.

Barron said, "It all comes down to access." He agreed with Dykstra about preschool access, but he also spoke of advanced placement courses. He was proud to say the district had expanded its course offerings in its high schools.

Shelley said that students needed role models that they could "share common experience with," particularly in middle school. She said it was important to recruit and retain diverse teachers.

Langford said the district's special education students needed more attention. She said she was specifically concerned with chronic absent rates among special education students. A district report showed that 50 percent of special education students had been chronically absent in recent school years, according to Langford. She said she wanted the board to investigate what was causing that rate.

August 24

NAACP of Des Moines to hold forum for all school board candidates

The NAACP of Des Moines is holding a school board candidate forum Thursday at 6 p.m. in partnership with the Des Moines Chapter of the Links, Inc., the Metro Des Moines League of Women Voters, and seven sorority and fraternity chapters. The forum is being held at the First Christian Church. All candidates running for a school board seat in 2017 were invited to attend. This is the fourth candidate forum to be held for this election.

Ballotpedia is covering this candidate forum. Check out tomorrow's spotlight for coverage of the forum.

August 23

District first in state to adopt sanctuary district policies

See also: Sanctuary policy preemption conflicts between the federal and local governments

Sanctuary policy conflicts

Des Moines Public Schools was one of 15 districts tracked by Ballotpedia that debated sanctuary policies as of October 16, 2017. Learn more about these debates on Ballopedia's coverage of sanctuary jurisdictions  »

The Des Moines school board became the first school board in the state to approve sanctuary district policies when it unanimously approved two resolutions on February 7, 2017. The first resolution affirmed that the district would educate all students regardless of their immigration status, prevented staff from asking about student immigration status, and formalized the district's protocol for dealing with requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The second resolution called on state and federal officials to exempt participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program from future immigration restrictions. In the 2016-2017 school year, approximately 4,000 Des Moines students—13 percent of enrollment—were born outside of the United States. While some had legal immigration status, others resided in the country without legal permission.

“This action tonight is about good ethical governance that puts the needs of the whole first by acting to improve outcomes for those with a pronounced disadvantage,” said board member Rob Barron. “That is equity and that is the job of anyone in elected service.”

Iowa Congressman Steve King (R-4) said the two resolutions were unconstitutional and violated two federal laws.

“	I am incredulous that the school board would come to this kind of motivation or conclusion given that the Trump administration has previously stated they will withhold any federal funds that would go to any sanctuary jurisdiction in America.	”
—Congressman Steve King (2017)

President Donald Trump (R) signed an executive order on January 25, 2017, that introduced penalties against sanctuary districts. A memo produced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on May 22, 2017, stated that a sanctuary district was any jurisdiction that did not comply with 8 U.S. Code § 1373, which required all levels of government to communicate information about immigration status to the ICE. A federal ruling on April 25, 2017, halted the executive order.

Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said the resolutions were not expected to jeopardize the district's funding as they did not direct staff to refuse ICE agents. Instead, the resolutions outlined a process involving the superintendent and legal counsel should ICE agents request access to district schools. Roeder said that the district had never been contacted by ICE agents, according to his recollection.

ICE policy designates schools as sensitive locations. Because of that designation, they are avoided, according to the ICE.

The Iowa State Senate passed SF 481, a bill that prohibited cities and counties from adopting sanctuary policies, on April 12, 2017, but the 2017 legislative session ended before the Iowa House of Representatives considered it. If it had been signed into law, the bill would have required law enforcement agencies to comply with federal immigration requests, and it would have withheld state funds from any city or county that adopted sanctuary policies.

August 22

Des Moines Public Schools budget: Revenues (2015-2016)

Each year, Des Moines Public Schools releases a comprehensive financial report that reviews the district's finances from the previous fiscal year. According to the 2015-2016 report, the district totaled $496.6 million in revenues between June 2015 and June 2016. That amount represented a 4.4 percent increase from the preceding year. Revenue consisted mainly of state foundation aid, property taxes, federal grants, and local option sales taxes. You can see the revenue categories broken down in the chart below.

August 21

The details on Superintendent Thomas Ahart

Des Moines Superintendent Thomas Ahart

Thomas Ahart is the superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. He was first appointed interim superintendent in May 2012 following the resignation of former Superintendent Nancy Sebring. The Des Moines school board appointed him as Sebring's permanent successor on March 12, 2013.

Before he was appointed superintendent, Ahart served as the district's associate superintendent of teaching and learning. He also served as a language arts instructor, school improvement consultant, director of instruction, director of human resources, and principal of Warren G. Harding Middle School. In 2016, Ahart was appointed to a U.S. Department of Education committee to help draft recommendations for the Every Student Succeeds Act. He has also served as a member of the Iowa Department of Education’s Charter School Advisory Board, as an editor for Iowa Educational Leadership, and as president of the Iowa Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Ahart earned a bachelor's degree in speech and mass journalism from the University of Denver. He went on to earn a master's of public administration and a doctorate in education from Drake University.

When Ahart was appointed to be the permanent superintendent in 2013, his contract included a $260,000 salary. Since then, the board has voted to raise his salary by at least 2.5 percent each year. In May 2016, the school board voted to approve a new three-year contract with Ahart that included a $288,260 salary. The contract started July 1, 2016, and went through June 30, 2019. On April 4, 2017, the board extended Ahart's contract for another year so that it would end June 30, 2020, and raised his salary to $296,043. Ahart's salary from the 2013-2014 school year through the 2017-2018 school year can be found in the table to the right.

August 18

At-large candidates discuss academic excellence, advocating for the arts, and literacy initiatives

The three candidates running for two at-large seats on the Des Moines school board each listed issues or priorities on their campaign websites that they plan to focus on if they win the election. The candidate statements are listed below in alphabetical order.

Incumbent Rob Barron discussed the following:

Rob Barron

“	Turning down the volume I believe that the job description of a school board member is to translate community values into district priorities. I felt my first responsibility as a board member was to turn down the volume and foster a more cooperative environment on the board than what I has seen in the years surrounding the end of Dr. Sebring's tenure as Superintendent. I believe our board has turned the page and is clearly focused on achieving the best results for our students. Academic excellence In the past four years: All five comprehensive high schools have seen their place on the statewide rankings of Advanced Placement exams per graduating senior. Our four year high school graduate rate has grown from 79.36% to 81.16%, an all-time high. DMPS graduates are leaving high school more prepared for college and career than ever before! Breaking barriers In 2015, my board colleagues elected me chair, making me the first Latino chair of the Des Moines School Board. One of the reasons I ran for school board in 2013 was to represent the Latino community. My advocacy and defense of the Latinos is something that benefits all Des Moines residents. Our community is becoming more and more diverse, and the Latino community is pacing our school district's growth. We all want our neighbors to be valuable contributors, but in order to do that we have to provide education to all with as few barriers as possible. I see no difference in the hopes and potential from one child to another, whether they are gifted, undocumented, special needs, or all of the above. My job as a board member is to create hope and safety for all of our children. Protecting our most vulnerable I ran in 2013 because I knew the Latino community in Polk County needed a win. But I didn't foresee what was coming for our undocumented students and their families, many of whom are Latino. Much of my board term overlapped the era of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which has allowed thousands of Iowans to pursue work and college safely. But that safety has been fractured in the last several months by increasing government raids that have expanded the target beyond criminals to parents and young people with no criminal history. To answer the fear in our community, the Des Moines School Board voted unanimously to pass two resolutions that protect students, staff, and families and affirm our support for DREAMers. This work is personal to me because I share a cultural heritage with so many undocumented Iowans. But I believe it is also essential for a board in a city as diverse as Des Moines to lead on issues like this. Because one of our bedrock repsonsibilities is to protect our most vulnerable. And who is more vulnerable than a 6 year-old undocumented kid in one of our first grade classrooms? The boring stuff The hard part for a new board member is processing the myriad votes to take, decisions to make, and data points to absorb. 99% of our work is not going to show up in the Des Moines Register. There are procedural motions, monitoring reports, financial reports, public hearings, and on and on and on. But that boring stuff is all very important to maintaining a well-run district. I'm proud of my work on the big and tough issues we have been confronted with. But I'm also proud of my willingness to engage and put in the work on the less flashy stuff. I aspire to run an inspirational campaign. I plan to continue being a diligent board member.	”
—Rob Barron (2017)

Challenger Louisa Dykstra discussed the following:

Louisa Dykstra

“	I will always be a fierce advocate for public schools, but that doesn’t mean I always advocate for the status quo. Our kids need to be creative thinkers, problem solvers, good collaborators, and technology savvy learners to be prepared for the workforce of the future. We need to find innovative ways to best educate English Language Leaners and kids from disadvantaged homes. My priorities as a board member will be: Connecting schools to the community, especially our businesses, so we’re meeting the community’s needs, and the community feels ownership of our public schools. Retaining our amazing DMPS teachers and attracting the best new teachers in the coming national teacher shortage. Investing more in preschool, especially for kids in poverty, since every $1 spent on early childhood saves $12 down the road. It’s smart fiscal policy. Advocating for the arts in our schools. As a volunteer on the legislative team this year, I observed our businesses clamoring for qualified workers, and our schools clamoring for the resources needed to prepare kids for the future. These voices need to connect. I can hit the ground running as a board member to bring people to the table for solution-oriented conversations. I can help business leaders see the DIRECT link between a qualified workforce and: Investing in preschool, which increases 3rd grade reading, which increases post-secondary readiness Focusing on the graduation rate for males of color (Iowa has the highest unemployment rate in the country for African Americans.) Getting ELL students to academic proficiency in English so they’re prepared to become multilingual professionals Within the school system we can be more connected as well. Do board members and parents need to understand the reality of daily life in the classroom? Absolutely! And will it be helpful for teachers to understand the overall school budget to recognize the hard choices the board has to make? Absolutely. We truly are all in this together. The future of our community depends on strong public schools.	”
—Louisa Dykstra (2017)

Challenger Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley discussed the following:

Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley

“	Literacy As a teacher librarian, I've seen how crucial literacy is for student success. We must support literacy initiatives and programs that deliver opportunities to students in every neighborhood of Des Moines. Information literacy, as well as reading proficiency, are tools our kids must have as a foundation for success in today's fast paced environment. ​ Quality Environment Schools today do more than educate students. Parents and guardians make connections as their children become friends. We gather around our teams and activities from speech and debate to sports to music and everything in between. Schools should be the community centers of our neighborhoods - a place where everyone is welcomed and included. ​ Success Every child in our community deserves an equal chance for success, both in school and out. When neighbors, parents, and educators work together to make sure our schools have the resources and support they need to reach every learner, we create a stronger community. ​ I'm running for Des Moines School Board because I believe in our schools, our children, and our community. I ask for your support as we work together to ensure our kids a vibrant and successful future!	”
—Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley (2017)

August 17

Des Moines West Side Chamber of Commerce to hold candidate forum for at-large and District 2 seats

The Des Moines West Side Chamber of Commerce is holding a candidate forum Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Des Moines University Student Education Center Lecture Hall. Candidates running for the at-large and District 2 seats were invited to attend. The event is scheduled to go until 5:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

“As a non-partisan organization, the Chamber is in a perfect position to provide informative events for our membership and the community at large," said Matt Coen, president of the Des Moines West Side Chamber of Commerce.

August 16

Des Moines Public Schools sees overall growth in reading and mathematics proficiency from 2012 to 2016

From grade 3 to grade 11, students in Iowa take the Iowa Assessment test to gauge their level of proficiency in subjects such as mathematics and reading. Students who attend Des Moines Public Schools are administered the tests in the spring. From 2012 to 2016, the overall student population in Des Moines Public Schools' elementary, middle, and high schools saw an increased percentage of students who tested as proficient in mathematics and reading.

The least amount of growth from 2012 to 2016 was seen in elementary school students in mathematics. During that time, the overall proficiency in mathematics in grades 3-5 grew by 1.4 percent, from 60.2 percent proficiency in 2012 to 61.6 percent proficiency in 2016. The year in which the highest percentage of elementary school students were found to be proficient in mathematics was in 2014 when 62.3 percent of students tested as proficient.

The largest amount of growth from 2012 to 2016 was seen in middle school students in reading. During that time, the overall proficiency in reading in grades 6-8 grew by 12.0 percent, from 47.9 percent proficiency in 2012 to 59.9 percent proficiency in 2016. The year in which the highest percentage of middle school students were found to be proficient in reading was in 2016.

August 15

Next Des Moines school board election to be held in November 2019 due to new state law

The 2017 election will be the last time the district holds school board elections in September. A bill signed into law by Gov. Terry E. Branstad (R) on May 11, 2017, switched the state's school board elections to November of odd-numbered years starting in 2019. The change combined school board elections with city elections.

Sen. Mark Chelgren (R-41), a supporter of the bill, said it would help increase voter turnout. "This says that we have one less date to remember and we have more participation in the process," said Chelgren. An average of 6.5 percent of voters turned up for school board elections between 2009 and 2015, while an average of 21.3 percent of voters turned up for city elections during that same time period, according to the Iowa Secretary of State.

Sen. Thomas Greene (R-44) also supported the bill and said it would help with the cost of administering elections, but it was not expected to decrease costs for every jurisdiction, according to the Legislative Services Agency. The agency said that larger elections would see varied costs.

The Iowa Association of School Boards and the Iowa State Education Association came out against the bill before it was signed into law. The Iowa State Association of Counties, however, supported the bill.

The bill passed the Iowa House of Representatives with a vote of 68-31, and it passed the Iowa State Senate with a vote of 36-13. Both Democrats and Republicans voted in favor of the bill in both houses, though only one Republican voted against it in the House and no Republicans voted against it in the Senate.

August 14

Des Moines school board election sees highest uncontested rate since 2000

With 50 percent of the seats uncontested, the 2017 Des Moines school board election has the highest unopposed rate that the district has seen in over a decade. The district's 2000 school board election was the last time half of the seats on the ballot were unopposed.

Prior to 2017, Des Moines school board elections had a history of attracting large numbers of candidates. Between 2007 and 2015, the average number of candidates who ran per seat on the ballot was 2.25 or higher with one exception. In 2011, five candidates ran for four seats for an average of 1.25 per seat, which is the same average as the 2017 election.

One trend the 2017 election will maintain electing both incumbents and new members to the board. Between 2007 and 2015, at least one incumbent was re-elected each year, with the exception of 2007 when newcomers took every seat. At least one newcomer was also elected each year in that time span, with the exception of 2008 when incumbents swept the ballot. With two incumbents running unopposed, and one open seat, the 2017 election is guaranteed to continue this trend.

The table below details election statistics in Des Moines Public Schools, in the largest school districts with similar enrollment sizes (30,001 - 40,000), in Iowa as a whole, and in the United States as a whole.

School board election trends
Year	Candidates per seat	Unopposed seats	Incumbents running for re-election	Incumbent success rate	Seats won by newcomers
Des Moines Public Schools
2017	1.25	50.00%	75.00%	TBD	TBD
2015	2.25	0.00%	25.00%	100.00%	75.00%
2013	2.50	0.00%	75.00%	66.67%	50.00%
2011	1.25	25.00%	25.00%	100.00%	75.00%
2009	2.25	0.00%	75.00%	100.00%	25.00%
2008	2.67	0.00%	100.00%	100.00%	0.00%
2007	2.50	0.00%	50.00%	0.00%	100.00%
Districts with similar enrollment (30,001 - 40,000)
2015	1.91	24.64%	62.32%	74.42%	53.62%
Iowa
2015	1.79	19.51%	60.98%	84.00%	46.34%
United States
2015	1.72	35.95%	70.37%	82.66%	40.81%

August 11

Three of five governing majority members guaranteed to keep seats

All four Des Moines school board incumbents whose terms are up for election in 2017 are part of a five-member governing majority on the board, according to a Ballotpedia study of the board's voting patterns in meeting minutes since the last school board election in 2015. With Dionna Langford and Teree Caldwell-Johnson running unopposed and Cindy Elsbernd not up for re-election this year, the governing majority is guaranteed to keep three of its five members.

The other two members of the governing majority are Rob Barron and Connie Boesen. Boesen is running for a seat on the Des Moines City Council rather than for another term on the school board, while Barron faces two challengers in his bid for re-election: Louisa Dykstra and Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley.

The Ballotpedia study of the board’s meeting minutes showed that members voted unanimously on 96.35 percent of their motions between the annual organization meeting on September 15, 2015, and the regular board meeting on July 11, 2017. When the board did not vote unanimously, Barron, Boesen, and Elsbernd voted together 100 percent of the time, disregarding absences. Langford voted with the three members for 92.59 percent of the motions addressed, and Caldwell-Johnson voted with them for 81.48 percent of the motions.

Board member Natasha Newcomb was the sole member of a minority faction on the board. She dissented on 88.89 percent of the motions brought by the board when they did not vote unanimously, which was the highest percentage of dissenting votes of all board members. Board member Heather Anderson joined Newcomb for 29.17 percent of her dissensions, which was not consistent enough to be part of Newcomb’s minority faction. She also did not vote consistently enough to be considered a member of the governing majority either. Newcomb and Anderson were both elected in 2015.

Absences

Barron was absent from 11.76 percent of all votes cast by the school board from September 15, 2015, to July 11, 2017, which was a higher percentage than any other board member. Newcomb had the second-highest absent rate, missing 7.70 percent of all board votes. Boesen and Elsbernd tied for the least absences. They each missed 0.14 percent of all board votes. The chart below details the percentage of votes each board member missed.

Issues

The chart to the right details the issues most often voted on by the Des Moines school board between September 15, 2015, and July 11, 2017. Fiscal and budgetary matters accounted for the highest percentage of issues (48.24 percent) voted on by the board, and district procedures accounted for the second-highest percentage of issues at 18.65 percent. Issues listed as other accounted for the lowest percentage of votes at 2.03 percent. Those issues included matters related to athletics, student conduct, the superintendent, and teacher contracts.

August 10

At-large candidates discuss teacher diversity at August 8 forum

At a candidate forum on August 8, 2017, the three candidates running for two at-large seats on the Des Moines school board discussed teacher diversity. Incumbent Rob Barron and challengers Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley and Louisa Dykstra agreed that the school board should strive to have the teaching staff match student demographics. A total of 27 percent of students in the district are from minority groups, while less than 6 percent of teachers are from minority groups, according to Joe Enriquez Henry, national vice president for the midwest region of the League of United Latin American Citizens Council 307, which was a co-sponsor of the forum.

Kyrstin Delagardelle Shelley

"I think that across the state we have other communities that are becoming more diverse, places like Clinton, places like Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and I think going to those places and finding people who are natives of Iowa, who already know our winters, and asking them, recruiting them to come Des Moines," said Shelley.

Rob Barron

Barron said the district had to continue its efforts to recruit teachers from outside of Iowa. "The teacher pool that comes out of our colleges...is more than 90 percent Caucasian, and it is a board commitment to see how the board should become more diverse, so we're swimming in rough waters."

Louisa Dykstra

"The pool of kids who go to college in Iowa tend to have grown up in Iowa and are overwhelmingly white," said Dykstra. She said she liked the ideas that both Shelley and Barron suggested and added, "I think the district has done a good job of trying to make that an emphasis for recruiting administrators possibly from out of state."

Three of the seven sitting school board members are from minority groups. The board voted for two minority representatives to leadership positions for the first time in 2015. Barron was elected chair, and Teree Caldwell-Johnson was elected vice chair.

The forum was hosted by AFSCME Local 2048, the Anti-Racist Collaborative of Des Moines (ARC), the Asian & Latino Coalition, the Community of Racial Equality (CORE), the Des Moines Education Association (DMEA), Energy & Justice for All, Iowans for Public Education, the League of United Latin American Citizens Council 307 (LULAC), the Sierra Club, and the South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO (SCIFL).