Questions continue to emerge about how much Des Moines Public Schools officials did or didn’t know about Superintendent Ian Roberts’ background and immigration status.
Roberts was arrested the morning of Sept. 26 by U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement for allegedly being in the United States illegally. He received a court-issued “final order of removal” in May 2024, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said.
Since Roberts’ detainment, district officials have been releasing information about the superintendent hiring process, including what background checks were conducted. The 2023 superintendent search was done behind closed doors.
What do we know about the DMPS superintendent search?
Not a lot.
In Feburary 2023, then-Des Moines School Board Chair Teree Caldwell-Johnson announced the board would conduct a closed search.
District and board officials did not release the names of applicants or finalists before the June 2023 hiring announcement for Roberts.
“The board will be walking a very fine line to balance the competitive hiring practices and job candidates’ desire for privacy against the public interest and even the law,” Caldwell-Johnson said at the time.
Related: Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts arrested by ICE
Did Roberts undergo a background check before hiring?
Yes, the district says.
“Employers, including DMPS, are required to verify employment eligibility for all employees,” the district news release stated. “In this case, Dr. Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation.”
The Des Moines School Board hired JG Consulting to conduct a search for the new DMPS superintendent, the same release states.
“The firm identified Dr. Roberts as a candidate,” and a third party, Baker-Eubanks, conducted a “comprehensive background check,” the release said.
What is an I-9?
An I-9 employment eligibility verification is used to “verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States,” according to the U.S. Citenzenship and Immigration Services website.
“On the form, an employee must attest to their employment authorization. The employee must also present their employer with acceptable documents as evidence of identity and employment authorization. The employer must examine these documents to determine whether they reasonably appear to be genuine and relate to the employee, then record the document information on the employee’s Form I-9,” the website states.
Did Baker-Eubanks check Ian Roberts immigration status?
No.
Several publicly available documents, including court documents, were sent to JG Consulting, along with an executive summary, Baker-Eubanks CEO Kim Cockerham said.
“We do not render an opinion on whether someone should be hired,” said Cockerham in an interview with the Des Moines Register. “We give the report as we’re hired to do. We reveal any criminal records that we find.”
The criminal background check does not include confirming whether someone can legally work in the United States.
“That’s not even a service that we offer,” Cockerham said.
The Des Moines Register also sent an email to JG Consulting seeking comment about how the company handles background checks.
Did the Des Moines School Board know about Roberts’ deportation notice?
A district news release states officials were not aware Roberts had received an order for removal.
“A news release distributed by ICE states Dr. Roberts was issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024,” the district’s release states. “The district did not have any knowledge of this situation or the order of removal.”
Related: Des Moines School Board to select next superintendent behind closed doors
Does Ian Roberts have an administrator license in Iowa?
Yes.
Roberts was “licensed by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners in July 2023,” the district’s release states.
His professional administrator license is set to expire Dec. 31, 2028, according to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners’ licensure lookup.
On his administrator licensure application under penalty of perjury, Roberts stated he was a U.S. citizen, according to an Iowa Department of Education’s Sept. 27 news release.
“Per their standard process, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners also conducted criminal history record checks with the Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation prior to issuing the license,” the release said. “No deviations from the established licensure process were identified.”
The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners lists what background checks applicants must undergo on its website.
“Licensure renewal and conversion applications include checks of various resources such as Iowa Courts Online, Child Abuse Registry, Sex Offender Registry and others,” the Board of Educational Examiners site states.
First-time applicants must be fingerprinted and submit information needed for a federal background check.
Who should have confirmed whether Roberts was a citizen?
It is the employer’s responsibility to verify “a person’s I-9 employment eligibility verification,” the Department of Education’s news release states.
“In this case, Dr. Roberts completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted the required documentation,” said Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris after the board voted Sept. 27 to place the embattled superintendent on paid leave. “Everything the district has on file indicates that Dr. Roberts affirmed that he was a citizen who was eligible to work in the school district.”
Is anyone reviewing the district’s hiring practices?
The state Department of Education is reviewing the DMPS’ “hiring procedures for verifying individuals are legally authorized to work in the United States,” according to the department’s news release
“The rule of law is essential, and all educators and staff must follow the law to preserve public trust,” the release said. “The Iowa Department of Education is committed to upholding rigorous licensure standards and supporting local educators and families in advancing student learning.”
District officials plan to comply with the requests.
“We’re going to work with them, respond to them accordingly and we have no problem with talking with anybody at the state level about the process, our processes, and provide any documentation that we can,” said Phil Roeder, Des Moines Public Schools spokesperson.
What is Superintendent Ian Roberts’ salary?
Roberts’ superintendent contract — approved in May 2025 — states his base salary is $286,716.
The contract is in effect through June 30, 2028.
Did DMPS officials know about Roberts’ gun charges?
Officials have stated that Roberts addressed a previous firearm charge related to a hunting rifle with the Des Moines School Board during the hiring process.
“He provided sufficient context and explanation of the situation to move forward in the hiring process,” a district news release states. “He has also spoken publicly about this experience.”
What is Roberts’ current employment status at DMPS?
The Des Moines School Board voted to place Roberts on paid administrative leave at its Sept. 27 special board meeting.
Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @svhernandez, Bluesky at @svhernandez.bsky.social or at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts underwent several background checks