What’s Happening with SIG in Des Moines

The Priority Schools team had a chance to sit down with Melissa Spencer, president of the Des Moines Education Association in Iowa and talk about the School Improvement Grant (SIG) process.

Spencer explained how the legislature in Iowa mandated that superintendents and the administration bargain with the local associations and work collaboratively to choose the best reform model. The union assured the district they wanted to be partners in the process, and from there the superintendent and association president visited each identified school to explain what SIG is and to answer questions about the process.

In this video clip, Spencer talks about how that made members feel more comfortable.

Spencer also talked about what the schools receiving SIG funds in Des Moines will do. Part of the transformation will involve more technology integration and professional development. Watch this clip to learn more about how Des Moines will use the SIG fund and how they plan to monitor the transformation process.