Meeting the Challenge: How Des Moines Public Schools Are Delivering Rigorous, Meaningful Learning for Every Student
A bold commitment to grade-level instruction and student engagement has helped students in this large urban district succeed
Under Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts, Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) is addressing long-standing barriers to student achievement by building a high-quality learning environment for nearly 31,000 students and positioning itself as a model for urban education. Recognizing the difficulties of maintaining instructional consistency and enhancing student outcomes, Des Moines has fully embraced grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM® — instruction to ensure every single student has access to effective teaching and learning.
“When you visit Des Moines Public Schools,” Dr. Roberts says, “you are going to see, feel, and experience GLEAM interwoven throughout everything that we’re doing.”
Invested Leaders, Robust Professional Learning, and Community Investment Ensure Success
At the heart of DMPS’s progress has been strong, steady leadership. Dr. Roberts and Tim Schott, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, emphasized how essential committed leadership is to creating sustainable change. “Leadership is key,” says Schott. “We have a superintendent who has been all in, who’s spent time with UnboundEd over the years, and was very supportive of the work we had begun without him when he joined.”
Another key has been robust professional development for administrators, coaches, and teachers through opportunities like Standards Institute™, which equips educators to advance GLEAM Instruction at every level.
Lastly, the district has involved the broader community in this instructional transformation. “We want the community to become a part of this, and we have done that by continuing the conversation in public spaces, such as board meetings,” says Dr. Roberts.
GLEAM Instruction
Grade-level: Instruction that is aligned with the grade-appropriate college and career standards.
Engaging: Instruction that fosters persistence, active learning, and academic agency by tapping into students’ assets.
Affirming: Instruction that builds a caring, collaborative classroom community by uplifting students’ identities and experiences in service of learning.
Meaningful: Instruction that cultivates civic agency and critical thinking by making learning relevant to issues students encounter beyond the classroom.
Providing a Framework that Works at Every Grade Level
“We want to make sure that all students have full access to grade-level education and grade-level content every day,” said Associate Principal Beverly Eck of Roosevelt High School. At Roosevelt, GLEAM has contributed to a seven percent increase in students earning As and Bs. And Eck notes a profound shift in student agency: “In my regular classroom walkthroughs, I saw students understanding what they needed to do independently instead of the teacher having to tell them. They’re implementing — and kids are understanding and engaging in — grade-level instruction.”
McCombs Middle School Principal Jason Snow says that before GLEAM, instructional feedback varied too widely: “GLEAM gave us that structure, providing clear expectations and ‘look-fors’ to ensure consistency across classrooms.” McCombs has since recorded double-digit growth in FastBridge A-Math and A-Reading scores from fall to spring. ISASP scores also improved significantly, including a nine percent gain in Math and double-digit growth in Language Arts and Science.
With GLEAM now a part of their instructional fabric, teachers at Monroe Elementary have focused on creating relevant and engaging lessons, incorporating a wide range of texts and student experiences into daily instruction. They’ve embraced strategies that foster persistence, active learning, and academic agency, such as structured discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and student-led inquiry. “From instructional planning to ensuring that students and families feel like they belong, it’s all connected,” says Principal Trenton Williams. “You can tell it’s working when you walk into a classroom and see students leading the conversation, collaborating, and taking ownership of their learning,” Williams adds.
When you visit Des Moines Public Schools, you are going to see, feel, and experience GLEAM interwoven throughout everything that we’re doing.
A Model for Urban Education
The success of GLEAM Instruction at DMPS reflects a broader vision of instructional transformation. In partnership with UnboundEd and through a focus on leadership, professional development, and community involvement, DMPS is setting a new standard for urban school districts.
Dr. Roberts and leaders across the district remain committed to that vision. “Every single student who knocks on the doors of our schools deserves exactly what they need in order to truly optimize their potential.”
