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Heads up! We 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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District Spends $415,851 on SEL Program ‘Project Wayfinder’
A payment of $415,851.25 to ‘Project Wayfinder’ was found in the district’s list of paid bills. Project Wayfinder is a well-known Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum focused on ‘purpose learning’ and ‘belonging,’ replacing academic instruction with psychological programming.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is a massive expenditure on social engineering, hidden in a bill list with no public discussion. Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘I demand a full accounting for the $415,851 payment to the SEL provider Project Wayfinder. Who approved this, and why was it not brought before the public for a vote?’
💰 Impact: $415,851.25
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 10) |
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Over $633,000 Spent on New Curriculum from TCI
The district’s bill list includes a massive $633,346 payment to Teachers Curriculum Institute (TCI) for what is likely social studies or science materials. TCI has been criticized for ideological bias in its curriculum, and a purchase of this size requires full public review before it reaches classrooms.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: A curriculum purchase of this magnitude must be transparent. Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘Regarding the $633,346 payment to Teachers Curriculum Institute, I demand that all purchased materials be made available for parental review immediately. Parents have a right to see the curriculum our children are being taught.’
💰 Impact: $633,346
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
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District Proposing Major Changes to School Attendance Zones
Under Item G.1, the administration will present a proposal to change attendance boundaries and school feeder patterns as part of its ‘Reimagining Education’ plan. These changes can involuntarily move your child to a different school, alter their path to middle and high school, and impact access to special programs.
Recommended Action Plan
GET INVOLVED NOW: This is the beginning of the process to redraw school maps. Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘Parents must have a central role in any changes to attendance boundaries. We demand multiple public hearings and direct input before any new maps are approved for the ‘Reimagining Education’ plan under Item G.1.’
💰 Impact: Your Child’s School Assignment
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Key Parental Rights Policies Under Review, Text Not Provided
Item F.1 puts four critical policies up for ‘first review’: Education Records Access, Student Directory Information, and Student Library Circulation Records. These policies govern your right to see your child’s records and control their private data. The district claims no changes are needed, but failed to include the actual policy text in the agenda for parents to verify.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘Regarding Item F.1, parents cannot verify that our rights are protected if you do not provide the text of the policies under review. Post the full text of policies 506.01, 506.02, and 506.04 for public inspection immediately.’
💰 Impact: Your Child’s Privacy
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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District Spends $202,500 on Controversial Behavior Training
The bill list reveals a $202,500 payment to the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI). CPI provides training on de-escalation and physical restraint of students, which can be highly controversial and has been linked to ‘restraint and seclusion’ practices that endanger children.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS: Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘Regarding the $202,500 payment to Crisis Prevention Institute, what specific training was purchased? What are the district’s policies on physical restraint and seclusion of students, and will parents be notified every time these techniques are used on their child?’
💰 Impact: $202,500
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Funds ‘Gender and Sexuality Alliance’ Club in Middle School
An informational item on new hires (G.4) includes a stipend for a GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) club advisor at Meredith Middle School. This confirms the district is sponsoring and promoting ideological affinity groups focused on sexuality and gender identity to young, impressionable students.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND ANSWERS: Contact the Board (see district website for info): ‘Regarding the new GSA club at Meredith Middle School listed in Item G.4, what is the curriculum or materials being used? Are parents notified before their child joins, and is there an opt-out process for these sensitive discussions?’
💰 Impact: Taxpayer-Funded Activism
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Pays for ‘Leader in Me’ SEL Program
A $19,023.40 payment to Franklin Covey appears in the bill list. Franklin Covey is the parent company of ‘The Leader in Me,’ a widely used Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program that embeds psychological training and data collection into the school day.
Recommended Action Plan
OPT-OUT ALERT: Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘I see the district is paying for the Franklin Covey ‘Leader in Me’ SEL program. Please provide the specific parental opt-out form for all SEL surveys, lessons, and data collection associated with this program.’
💰 Impact: $19,023.40
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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District Spending on Screen-Based Learning Software
The bill list shows payments to multiple EdTech vendors, including Renaissance Learning ($88,010), Lexia Learning ($11,050), and IXL Learning ($2,109). These programs increase student screen time, often replacing direct instruction from a teacher with adaptive software.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND PROOF OF EFFICACY: Email the Board (contact info on the district website): ‘Before more money is spent on EdTech like Renaissance and Lexia, please provide independent, non-vendor-funded evidence that these programs improve academic outcomes, and disclose how much daily screen time they add for the average student.’
💰 Impact: Increased Screen Time
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✅ Wins to Defend
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 8) |
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WIN: District Adopts New Policy Protecting Religious Freedom
Under Consent Item D.8, the board is adopting a new ‘Policy 107 – Religious Expression.’ This policy, based on state law, explicitly protects students’ and staff’s rights to constitutionally protected prayer, ensures religious student clubs have equal access, and prevents academic discrimination based on religious content in assignments.
How to Lock It In
SECURE THE WIN: Show up or email the Board to thank them for adopting Policy 107. Public support makes it harder for future boards to weaken these protections. Use this as a model policy to share with chapters in other districts.
✅ Why It Matters: Protecting First Amendment Rights
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