DMPS board chairperson Kim Martorano shares priorities
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DMPS school board chair Kim Martorano during the 2026 State of the Schools presentation in February. Photo: Courtesy of DMPS
Axios sat down with Des Moines school board chair Kim Martorano, who was elected to her position late last year, to get her priorities for her tenure.
Why it matters: Martorano inherited major challenges when she became chairperson, including budget shortfalls, enrollment declines and the shockwaves from former Superintendent Ian Roberts' arrest.
- But the board is also buoyed by Des Moines voters approving a bond referendum last November backing Reimagining Education, the district's sweeping overhaul initiative.
Building trust
Martorano says she wants to build on the bond referendum support and ensure DMPS is being communicative and transparent — a critique the district faced following Roberts' arrest.
State of play: The board is undergoing its budget process, but rather than take a traditional annual look, it is working on a five-year outlook with more detail, she says.
- For example: The board held in-depth public conversations debating savings costs by changing health insurance plans for staff. Spouses of staff no longer receive free health care, saving the district $4.2 million.
- They've also discussed enrollment declines at some buildings and rearranging some elementary staff to work at two buildings.
Zoom in: Martorano says the board is also increasing its number of workshops — public meetings centering on discussions instead of a vote.
Improving student outcomes
Whether it's construction, transportation or attendance, Martorano says she expects all DMPS efforts to tie back to improving student performance.
Driving the news: The last five years have been a "whirlwind" for students, Martorano says, ranging from COVID to new legislation to immigration anxieties.
The big picture: After a COVID-era slump, DMPS academics, graduation rates and attendance have gone up, though the district still struggles in comparison to its wealthier suburban neighbors.
- Goals include improving reading outcomes, offering equitable access for English Language Learners and graduating students with more hands-on experiences.
- "Our students face a great deal," she says. "What we see in the media is just a piece of that."
Communicate more often
Parents have a choice of where to enroll their kids, especially with the state's education savings account program and a rise in new charter schools.
- In light of that, Martorano says she wants to improve communication and marketing from DMPS so families know more success stories.
What they're saying: "We have students that are working directly with NASA. We have students that are working with the leaders of AI in the country," Martorano says.
- "Not everyone knows that all of these things are happening within our doors."