Des Moines Public Schools Journalism Curriculum Standards
Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), in collaboration with a team of Des Moines Advisers, has introduced journalism standards designed to provide a clear framework for students. These standards facilitate the assessment of student learning and support curriculum planning, ensuring that students acquire the essential skills and tools they need for success in journalism.
DMPS began conferring English credit for the course, LA220 Journalism, in 2023 honoring the core curricular experience students are engaging in with complex text, routine writing in specific contexts, and feedback to support continuous development in analytical and journalist writing.
Journalism Topics and scales were constructed by blending the Journalism Education Association (JEA) standards and 9/10 Iowa State Literacy Standards to ensure an aligned experience in keeping with other English Language Arts (ELA) elective courses. These scales are routinely revised by DMPS Journalism teachers and the Secondary Literacy Curriculum Coordinator for clarity and to ensure a consistently rigorous experience.
You can download the standards here: Journalism 23-24