General Discussion

DES MOINES — More universities have denied claims from Des Moines Public Schools' former superintendent about his education and accomplishments, raising questions about how thoroughly Iowa's largest school district vetted his application.

For years, former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, 54, had claimed he completed programs and was honored at several universities, including Morgan State University and MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Roberts had long stated that he received a doctorate in urban educational leadership from Morgan State University in July 2007.

Morgan State confirmed to the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Sept. 30 that Roberts did not obtain a degree from the school, despite attending from the fall of 2002 through the spring of 2007. An MIT spokesperson later told the Register that the school does not have records of Roberts attending.

In addition, Des Moines Public Schools officials wrote in a 2023 news release announcing Roberts' hire that he had previously been honored by the George Washington University as its District of Columbia "Principal of the Year." But a George Washington spokesperson told the Register on Sept. 30 that the "university has no record of awarding such recognition to DC principals, and did not present this award."