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Heads up! Our parent watchdogs have scanned the upcoming agenda for Des Moines Independent Comm School District. We found 9 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 10) |
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School-Based Mental Health Clinic Partnership
The district is creating a formal partnership with Broadlawns Medical Center to provide “integrated educational and therapeutic services” on campus, including mental health screenings and therapy. This creates a pathway for medical services to be delivered at school, potentially outside of direct parental oversight.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This item (D.17) creates a school-based mental health clinic. Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘I oppose Item D.17. Medical and mental health services are a family’s private responsibility, not the school’s. Vote NO on the Broadlawns MOU.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Your Child’s Medical Privacy
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| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
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$400,000 for “Affirming” Teacher Training
The district plans to pay UnboundED, a vendor known for promoting “equity” and “anti-racism” frameworks, $400,000 for teacher training. The training focuses on “grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful (GLEAM) instruction,” using language often associated with ideological agendas rather than core academics.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: This is on the Consent Agenda. Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Pull Item D.20 from the Consent Agenda for a full public discussion. What does ‘affirming’ instruction mean and how does UnboundED define it? Parents deserve answers before you spend $400,000.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $400,000
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| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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$336k for “Social-Emotional Interventions”
The district is renewing contracts with “Starts Right Here” and “Urban Dreams” for $336,600 to provide “behavioral and social-emotional interventions.” This outsources student support to external groups, potentially introducing unvetted ideologies and practices into the school environment.
Recommended Action Plan
VERIFY THE VENDORS: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding Item D.15, what curriculum and training materials do ‘Starts Right Here’ and ‘Urban Dreams’ use? Parents have a right to review the content of any ‘social-emotional’ program before it’s approved.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $336,600
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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First Reading of Unknown New Policy
The board is conducting a first review of a new “Policy 505.5.” The attachment containing the policy text was not included in the agenda packet, preventing any public review before it moves toward adoption.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘The text for the proposed Policy 505.5 under Item E.1 must be made public immediately. The community cannot provide feedback on a policy we are not allowed to read.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Reduced Transparency
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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$137k for “Reimagining Education” Consultant
The district is paying a consultant named “Studiously” $137,500 to help plan its “Signature School” initiative under the banner of “Reimagining Education.” This kind of vague, ambitious project can be a vehicle for introducing radical changes to curriculum and school culture.
Recommended Action Plan
VERIFY THE VENDOR: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding Item D.21, what is the background of the consultant ‘Studiously’ and what specific pedagogical or ideological frameworks will they use to guide ‘curriculum recommendations’?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $137,500
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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New Student Data Tracking System
The district is purchasing a “complete system for recording participant information, tracking enrollment and attendance, and measuring outcomes” from CitySpan. This expands the school’s ability to collect and monitor non-academic data on students.
Recommended Action Plan
OPT-OUT ALERT: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding Item D.13 and the CitySpan system, what specific non-academic data will be collected on students, who will have access to it, and what is the parental consent and opt-out process?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Your Child’s Data
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| 👀 MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
Item D.4, “Board Policy Updates: Legislative Policies,” is listed on the consent agenda with no attached documents or explanation. This could involve the district taking official stances on state or federal legislation, essentially using taxpayer resources for lobbying.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Item D.4 in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm whether the board is voting on resolutions related to external legislation. If so, we need to know what they are supporting or opposing.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
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| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
Item F.1, “List of Bills Paid,” is for information only, but the attachment is not available. This list could reveal payments to ideological consultants, controversial curriculum providers, or other vendors that were not approved in a public-facing agenda item.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Item F.1 in the Official Agenda (linked above). Scan the vendor list for payments to known ideological actors like Panorama Education, CASEL, or DEI consultants.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Hidden Spending
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| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
Item F.2, “New Hires (Information Only),” has no attached document. This list should be reviewed to see if the district is hiring for positions with an ideological focus, such as “DEI Coordinators,” “Equity Officers,” or “Restorative Justice Specialists.”
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Item F.2 in the Official Agenda (linked above). Check the job titles of new hires for roles focused on DEI, SEL, or other ideological functions rather than academic instruction.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Ideological Staffing
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