Short answer
How do Des Moines teachers move to a higher lane on the salary schedule?
DMPS teachers move across eight lanes, from BA through MA+45 to Ph.D./Ed.D., with 15, 30 or 45 semester hours of approved credit earned after the degree or a new degree related to education. The Office of Talent and Personnel approves courses, ideally before they begin, and transcripts are due September 15 and February 15.
Source: Comprehensive Agreement with the Des Moines Education Association, 2024-2029, Article XIII. Checked .
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How is the Des Moines teacher salary schedule organized?
The 2024-2029 comprehensive agreement runs from August 1, 2024 until midnight on July 31, 2029, and the parties agreed to reopen Article XIII, the compensation article, every year (Article VI). The posted agreement prints the 2024-2025 schedules in Appendix 1; we did not find a later certified teachers' schedule on the district site when we checked.
The certified teachers' schedule has lanes for BA, BA + 15, BA + 30, MA, MA + 15, MA + 30, MA + 45 and PhD/Ed.D, plus two lanes for registered nurses, with steps lettered A to Z. The schedule notes that steps "do not necessarily indicate years of experience or service." Under Article XIII.H.4, a teacher earns a step for a year of service that meets performance standards, unless already at the top step of the lane. For lane vocabulary, see salary lane names.
Which units count toward a Des Moines lane change?
Article XIII.G of the agreement defines the lanes:
- BA + 15 and BA + 30: at least 15 or 30 semester hours of approved credits beyond the bachelor's.
- MA: "a master's degree specifically related to the field of education." Master's programs needing 45 or more graduate hours, and 60 or more, can place a teacher in MA + 15 or MA + 45 in the cases the agreement lists.
- MA + 15, + 30 and + 45: at least 15, 30 or 45 semester hours of approved credits beyond the master's.
- Ph.D./Ed.D.: a doctorate "specifically related to the field of education."
"Hours beyond" means "college, university, or other approved credit earned after the completion of requirements for and the conferring of the applicable degree." Article XIII.E lists credits that cannot be used: "mandatory reporter, mandatory employer-required trainings (e.g. Vector Solutions), IEPDP, universal precautions, hosting a student teacher, courses taken for instructional hours only, and courses that do not pertain to the staff member's current employment with DMPS or potential future employment with DMPS (including courses that would enable the Employee to seek employment in new areas of certification or advancement into leadership/administrative positions)." Article XIII.F requires an official transcript, with international transcripts evaluated by a NACES member.
The agreement does not limit credits to graduate level or to degree programs, but each course still needs approval. Our article on graduate-level credit and degree credit explains the transcript labels you may see.
Does Des Moines require approval before you take a course?
Approval is required for salary credit, and the agreement rewards getting it first. Under Article XIII.H of the agreement:
- Degree programs. A course of study approved by the degree-granting institution can go to the Office of Talent and Personnel before coursework begins; "If approved by the Office of Talent and Personnel, no other approval is required for this course of study."
- Individual courses. Teachers may submit the form before the course begins. Without prior approval, a transcript can still be submitted "with no assurance of approval."
- Appeals. If a course is not accepted, the teacher may appeal within five business days to a review committee of the Association President, a curriculum coordinator and the Superintendent, or their designees. Its decisions are not grievable.
We did not find the approval form posted publicly; ask the Office of Talent and Personnel for the current version. See pre-approval forms for what to keep on file.
When are transcripts due, and when does the new lane take effect?
Article XIII.H.3 of the agreement sets two dates: a copy of the certified transcript, or a completion certificate for staff development, goes to the Office of Talent and Personnel "by September 15 and February 15." The increase "will be retroactive to the effective date of the salary schedule." The agreement's table shows a September 15, 2024 filing taking effect in December 2024 and a February 15, 2025 filing taking effect in fall 2025. Ask the office for the current year's dates. More on timing is in transcript deadlines.
Do the same units count toward Iowa license renewal?
Renewal is a separate state test. Iowa's five-year Standard Teaching License renews with six renewal credits plus mandatory reporter training, and Iowa's renewal guidance counts college semester hours toward those credits. Note that mandatory reporter training is one of the items DMPS excludes from salary advancement. The Iowa renewal section of our Iowa guide has the details.
Where can Des Moines teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, Des Moines included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: a column move, a stipend, license renewal or an added endorsement. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from Des Moines's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: The DMEA agreement, Article XIII.E excludes "courses taken for instructional hours only, and courses that do not pertain to the staff member's current employment with DMPS or potential future employment with DMPS." Without prior approval, a transcript is reviewed "with no assurance of approval" (Article XIII.H). Submit the individual course approval form to the Office of Talent and Personnel before the course begins.
| Question | What Des Moines says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | Des Moines: Approved semester hours after the degree; tied to DMPS employment | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | Des Moines: September 15 or February 15; Office of Talent and Personnel | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | Des Moines: Form before the course; otherwise no assurance | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
With those rules in hand, compare providers on the same points. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Fresno Pacific University CE: self-paced, up to 1 year, units through Fresno Pacific University; ≈$475 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Graduate Credit Courses: self-paced, units through Cal Poly Humboldt; $570 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Model Teaching: self-paced, 1 year, units through a choice of six universities, including University of the Pacific; $359 for 3 credits (price notes)
- PD Courses (University of La Verne): online or pdf, semester-based, units through University of La Verne; $420 for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean Des Moines has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Des Moines lane questions teachers ask
When are Des Moines transcripts due for a lane change?
September 15 and February 15, sent to the Office of Talent and Personnel. The increase is retroactive to the effective date of the salary schedule.
Do I need approval before taking a course for DMPS salary credit?
It is strongly in your interest. The agreement lets you submit a form before the course; without it, a transcript is reviewed with no assurance of approval.
What credits does DMPS not count for salary advancement?
Mandatory reporter and other employer-required trainings, IEPDP, universal precautions, hosting a student teacher, courses taken for instructional hours only, and courses that do not pertain to current or potential future DMPS employment.
Does a master's need to be in education for the DMPS MA lane?
Yes. The MA lane requires "a master's degree specifically related to the field of education."
Where can Des Moines teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
Des Moines decides which courses count, under the rules on this page, so check with human resources before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, Fresno Pacific University CE, Graduate Credit Courses, Model Teaching and PD Courses (University of La Verne). They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- Comprehensive Agreement with the Des Moines Education Association, 2024-2029, Des Moines Public Schools. Checked
- Standard Teaching License, Iowa Department of Education. Checked
- More renewal information, Iowa Department of Education. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error