Before high school students can graduate from Des Moines Prep, at least 40 hours of career exploration including internships, apprenticeships, employer visits and job shadowing experiences must be completed, a stipulation that will require strong ties with the business community, the new charter school’s principal said.

“We have every intention of getting our students out into the community doing job shadows, internships and apprenticeships, learning what they like to do and what they don’t like,” said Matt Lakis, Des Moines Prep’s principal. “We expect our students to get out into the community and into local businesses to learn about the real world and what it takes to be successful.”

Des Moines Prep is one of six charter schools expected to open in Iowa in August, boosting the number of charter schools in the state to 13. Legislation signed into law in 2021 sparked the increase in charter schools in Iowa. That year, lawmakers passed House File 813, which expanded who can open a charter school in the state.

Des Moines Prep, operated by Omaha-based Opportunity Education, will open in August with a founding class of about 150 ninth grade students. Each year a new class of ninth graders will be added so that by the 2028-29 school year, Des Moines Prep is serving 600 to 700 students in ninth through 12th grades.

Students from all over Central Iowa have submitted enrollment applications to Des Moines Prep, said Lakis, who most recently served as principal of Woodward-Granger High School.

“I think the common denominator between the [applicants] is that they are all ambitious students who want to be challenged,” he said. “They don’t want to get lost in the shuffle of a really big district where they might not get the personalized attention that they feel that they deserve.”

Des Moines Prep will offer dual credit and concurrent enrollment through partnerships with community colleges and universities. It will also offer Advanced Placement courses, Lakis said. “That is not going to be something that is reserved for an exclusive top tier of students. It will be for all students.”

The school will be located at 106 E. Sixth St. in Des Moines’ East Village district. The 1-acre parcel was acquired by Opportunity Education in December for $5.4 million.

The nearly 50,000-square-foot building, constructed about 90 years ago, is being remodeled to include a gymnasium, classrooms and a student union.

The building began as a railroad fuel station and then was used as a parts plant for General Motors, Lakis said. It most recently was occupied by Two Rivers Marketing.

Now the structure “will become a school,” Lakis said. “I want our kids to come to school every day, look around and say, ‘This doesn’t feel like a traditional K-12 program.’ It’s not meant to feel that way. Our campus is going to look like a university campus or modern corporate office building.

“We want our students to learn how to live in the spaces that they’re going to be occupying down into the future.”

The school’s location is part of the Central Business District and is near the Iowa Capitol and other state buildings, Lakis said. The location is also accessible to Central Iowa families, with easy access from Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Interstate Highway 235, he said.

Des Moines Prep, which will employ 15 staff members its first year, will put extra emphasis on language arts and math. Students will spend at least 90 minutes a day in classes related to the two areas, Lakis said. Students who excel in the classes will be able to accelerate through the course and move into the next grade level of work. Students who are struggling will get extra help.

“We’re not worrying about the bell going off and running to the next thing,” Lakis said. “We’re really taking our time and getting the fundamentals down to make sure [students] are successful long-term.”

Des Moines Prep is guaranteeing that each student will graduate with acceptance letters from at least two colleges. “Not every kid has to go to college, but every kid deserves the opportunity to go to college,” Lakis said.

Each school day will begin with an advisory period led by an adviser who will stay with the group all four years of school. During the advisory periods, students will get extra help in courses they may be struggling in and learn about new extracurricular activities or clubs.

Once a month, area business leaders from a variety of backgrounds and industries will be part of the advisory periods, Lakis said. “We want our kids to see that there’s no straight trajectory toward personal success. We want them to understand that it’s going to look different for all of them.”

A student union may be added to Des Moines Prep in the future. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

The gymnasium at Des Moines Prep, a new charter school opening in August. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

Classroom space at Des Moines Prep. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

The gymnasium at Des Moines Prep, a new charter school opening in August. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

Classroom space at Des Moines Prep. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

The student entrance at Des Moines Prep. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

A classroom at Des Moines Prep. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

The student union at Des Moines Prep, a new charter school that is opening at 106 E. Sixth St. in Des Moines in August. Rendering courtesy of Des Moines Prep

What is a charter school?

Charter schools are public and don’t charge tuition. They operate independently of the school districts in which they are located. Under Iowa law, charter schools must have a governing board and follow all of the state’s codes and regulations unless a waiver is obtained.

The schools, which can set enrollment caps, often focus on specific areas such as science, the arts and job skills, particularly in the trades.

Iowa established charter school laws in 2002, which resulted in the creation of two charter schools. In 2021, Iowa began allowing charter schools to apply to the Iowa State Board of Education for operational approval rather than local school districts.

Regular per-pupil state funding follows students to the charter or private school they attend. In 2024, legislation signed into law allows charter schools to receive state per-pupil money for professional development and early intervention. Those funds previously stayed with the school district in which a student lives.

All charter schools must provide the state with annual reports that include information about student proficiency in reading, math and science. Charters must be renewed every five years. If a school fails to meet specific goals, the state can revoke the charter.

MORE ONLINE: Interactive Iowa charter school map

Iowa currently has seven charter schools that operate in the state including two in Des Moines. Six charter schools are expected to open in August and four others in August 2026. The Business Record has compiled an interactive map that includes information about each of the charter schools including enrollment, year the school opened or is opening, and the entity that operates the school. To view the interactive map, click here.