DMPS braces for funding shifts, eyes long game
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The Des Moines School Board is holding a public hearing tonight for its fiscal year 2026 budget, and while no major cuts or stir-ups are expected, the state and federal governments could influence future finances.
Why it matters: Des Moines Public Schools has already undergone millions in cuts and is trying to restructure its facilities over the next decade.
- Budget changes could slow those plans.
State of play: There are no significant cuts in the $900 million budget for next year, says DMPS chief financial officer Shashank Aurora.
- The budget is increasing by $17.1 million — primarily for rising salary and benefit costs.
- $12.7 million of that will be covered by reserves, with the remainder covered by an increase in supplemental state aid.
The big picture: Meanwhile, the district's 10-year "Reimagining Education" plan, which includes closing and restructuring school buildings, is reliant on capital funds.
- DMPS is considering a bond referendum this November to help fund that project, but potential property tax reforms by the Legislature could hurt how much it can get from tax levies.
- Even if voters vote against a referendum, DMPS could still pursue its plans over a longer time frame, Aurora says.
Plus: Federal education budget cuts could also hurt the district, with DMPS potentially losing millions of dollars, Aurora says.
- If Head Start — a federal child care and nutrition program — is cut, Aurora expects even deeper financial struggles.
Between the lines: School board chair Jackie Norris wants the district to use a more forward-looking budget approach, including a five-year comprehensive plan.
- "The school district has to start looking at our budget not just in its current year, but also over the next five years — to ensure that we are prepared to weather a post-COVID, highly partisan, precarious economy where federal cuts and state cuts come on a pretty regular basis," Norris says.