CLOSE UP THE TRIP TO IOWA THAT MAY SIGNAL FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS IS FINALLY READY TO GET INTO THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES NIKKI HALEY AND ASA HUTCHINSON BOTH SPENT LAST WEEK CRISSCROSSING OUR STATE. THE QUESTIONS THAT GOP VOTERS WANT ANSWER DES MOINES WILL SOON HAVE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. WHAT DR. IAN ROBERTS SAYS ABOUT LEADING IOWA’S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS KCCI EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP AND GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US ON CLOSE-UP. I’M CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES STRATTON AND I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. CBS NEWS REPORTS FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS WILL OFFICIALLY LAUNCH HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN THIS WEEK, CITING SOURCES CLOSE TO DESANTIS SAYING HE PLANS TO FILE THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION. IT’LL THEN BE FOLLOWED BY A FORMAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH LATER THIS MONTH. BUT DESANTIS HAS ALREADY BEEN ACTING LIKE A CANDIDATE HIMSELF. HE’S MADE CAMPAIGN LIKE STOPS MAY 13TH SUE SITTER SUE CENTER, CEDAR RAPIDS AND DES MOINES AT EACH STOP, HE TOUED HOW ALIKE BOTH IOWA AND HIS STATE, FLORIDA, ARE. THANKS, JEFF, FOR THE INTRODUCTION. IT’S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE. WE’RE PROUD OF ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FLORIDA. WE’VE WORKED VERY HARD AND THERE’LL BE PEOPLE THAT WILL COME UP TO ME OCCASIONALLY SAYING, HOW COME OTHER REPUBLICANS DON’T JUST FOLLOW OR DON’T DON’T DO SIMILAR STUFF TO WHAT YOU DO AND I SAID, THERE ARE REPUBLICANS THAT ARE DOING IT WHERE I SAID, IOWA IS DOING IT. PART OF THE REASON I KNOW THAT IS BECAUSE I RUN INTO PEOPLE IN FLORIDA, NAPLES OR MEYER, SOME OF YOU AND AND THEY WILL TELL ME IF THEY’RE FAMILIAR. AND I MEAN, YOU CAN SENSE THE BITTER NESS OF HOW ILLINOIS GOVERNOR THEY’RE CRUSHED. THEY’RE HAPPY TO BE IN FLORIDA, BUT THEY ARE FRUSTRATED. SAME WITH DURING THE PEOPLE FLEEING MINNESOTA LOCKDOWNS IN MICHIGAN, LOCKDOWNS DURING COVID. BUT WHEN I RUN IN THE IOWANS IN LIKE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, THEY’RE HAPPY. THEY’RE HAPPY WITH FLORIDA, BUT THEY’RE ALSO HAPPY WITH WHAT’S GOING ON IN IOWA BECAUSE I THINK THAT BETWEEN YOUR LEGISLATURE AND YOUR GOVERNOR, YOU’VE GOT ONE OF THE BEST REPUBLICAN TEAMS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WITH WHAT THEY. AND I POINTED THIS OUT A LONG TIME FOR A LONG TIME. AND WHEN I WAS HERE IN MARCH, SOMEONE HAD WRITTEN SOMETHING ABOUT, HEY, LOOK AT ALL THIS. I WAS DOING. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE FLORIDA OF THE MIDWEST. AND I STARTED WATCHING MORE OF WHAT THEY DID DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I’M LIKE, MAN, THEY FOUND AN AWFUL LOT. MAYBE IT’S JUST THAT FLORIDA IS THE IOWA OF THE SOUTHEAST. I DON’T KNOW. BUT I THINK BOTH FLORIDA AND IOWA AND WHAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SHOULD GIVE PEOPLE AROUND THIS COUNTRY A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE, BECAUSE YOU SEE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING WRONG. WE CAN LOOK AT THE DISASTER AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER. WE CAN SEE THE GOVERNMENT INDUCED INFLATION THAT’S HARMED TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE CAN SEE BIDEN FLOUNDERING AROUND DOING WHATEVER IT IS HE DOES ON A DAILY BASIS. AND WE ALSO CAN SEE AND BE FRUSTRATED WITH THE LOSSES THAT REPUBLICAN FANS HAVE SUFFERED AT THE BALLOT BOX OVER THESE LAST MANY YEARS. SO THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY PESSIMISTIC, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I THINK WHAT I WOULD FLORIDA SHOWS IS IT CAN BE DONE IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT’S WILLING TO LEAD, IF YOU’RE WILLING TO STAND FOR OUR SHARED PRINCIPLES AND YOU PUT THOSE INTO EFFECT AND YOU DELIVER RESULTS FOR PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WILL WALK OVER HOT COALS BAREFOOT TO COME VOTE FOR YOU, THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT IT. THEY WANT TO ASK YOU TO DELIVER RESULTS FOR THEM. I’M GLAD WE IN IOWA BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF FISCAL COMMON SENSE WITH HOW YOU MANAGE YOUR BUDGET. WE DO TOO. IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. OUR BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE 3 MILLION MORE PEOPLE THAN NEW YORK STATE, OUR BUDGET IS HALF THE SIZE OF NEW YORK STATE BUDGET. YET WE HAVE BETTER ROADS, BETTER SERVICES, BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE AND HIGHER PERFORMING EDUCATION. AND WHERE IS THIS MONEY GOING THAT THEY’RE TAXING PEOPLE WITH? I CAN TELL YOU THEY’RE CAUSING MORE PEOPLE TO MOVE TO MY STATE WHERE JOE, BY THE WAY, WE DON’T HAVE A STATE INCOME TAX IN FLORIDA. YOU GUYS HAVE TO WORK. I KNOW YOUR GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO GET THEIR. BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT AND WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON IN WASHINGTON BETWEEN THE FED PRINTING TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BIDEN PRINTING AND SPENDING, BORROWING AND SPENDING TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY INDUCE THE WORST INFLATION WE’VE HAD IN 40 YEARS. THAT HAS BEEN AN INVISIBLE TAX ON EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN FAMILY. SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES, PARENTS WITH CHILDREN. IT’S MADE LIFE MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE. IT’S HARDER TO BE ENJOYING A MIDDLE CLASS LIFESTYLE AS A RESULT OF BIDEN’S POLICIES, AND HE WANTS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON IT. HE WANTS TO MAKE YOUR ENERGY MORE EXPENSIVE. HE WANTS TO MAKE ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU. AND SO WE CLEARLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD MANAGEMENT AND BAD MANAGEMENT. I CAN TELL YOU THE PEOPLE, THE STATES THAT HAVE BIDEN POLICIES, THOSE PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO MY STATE OF FLORIDA TO GET AWAY FROM THOSE POLICIES. AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU WHO HAVE PLACES IN FLORIDA YOU RUN INTO THE PEOPLE WHO LEAVE FROM NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY AND YOU LEAVE FROM ILLINOIS. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO WATCH WHAT GOES ON IN THESE OTHER STATES BECAUSE IT AFFECTS MY STATE. I WOULD SHUT THE BORDER DOWN IMMEDIATELY. YOU CANNOT. COMING IN ILLEGALLY. HOW MUCH FENTANYL HAS THE MEXICAN CARTELS BROUGHT ACROSS THE BORDER SINCE BIDEN’S BEEN PRESIDENT? WE HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING BECAUSE OF FENTANYL OVERDOSE, NOT JUST IN BORDER COMMUNITIES, IN EVERY COMMUNITY IN THIS COUNTRY. AND I CAN TELL YOU, BECAUSE I CONSOLE MOTHERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WHO HAVE LOST SOME OF THEIR KIDS TO FENTANYL OVERDOSE. YOU HAVE CRIMINAL ALIENS POURING IN. THEY ARE COMMITTING CRIMES IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY’RE EVEN PEOPLE THAT ARE ON OUR OWN, GOVERNMENTS, TERRORISTS WATCH LIST THAT ARE COMING IN INTO OUR COUNTRY. SO I THINK WE NEED STRONG IMMIGRATION POLICIES. WE ARE NOT CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. WE ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS THAT MEANS OUR. IN FLORIDA, WE’VE LEANED IN ON THE ISSUE OF FIGHTING BACK AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE’VE BANNED SANCTUARY CITIES IN FLORIDA. MY FIRST YEAR AS GOVERNOR WERE WE SUED BIDEN AND WON AGAINST HIS CATCH AND RELEASE POLICIES AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER. WE’RE ALSO INVOLVED IN MARITIME INTERDICTIONS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE TRY TO RUN BOATS FROM PLACES LIKE HAITI, COAST GUARD STOPS MOST OF THEM, BUT THEY DON’T STOP ALL OF THEM. SO WE SEARCH FOR THE RESOURCES TO INTERDICT BOATS. AND SINCE AUGUST ALONE, WE BE WORKING WITH THE COAST GUARD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REPATRIATE OVER 12,000 ILLEGAL ALIENS BACK TO PLACES LIKE HAITI. AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL GET CAPTURED AND SENT BACK? THEY STOPPED COMING BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK. THAT SAME DAY, DESANTIS ALSO MADE A SURPRISE STOP AT JETHRO’S BARBECUE IN DES MOINES, TALKING UP IOWA TO THE CUSTOMERS THERE. THAT STOP IN DES MOINES HELPED DESANTIS GAIN THE FULL ATTENTION OF IOWA REPUBLICANS AND MEDIA IN THE HAWKEYE STATE. AND THAT’S BECAUSE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WAS SCHEDULED TO RALLY IN DES MOINES THAT SAME NIGHT. BUT FEARS OF SEVERE WEATHER LED THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN TO CANCEL THAT WATERWORKS PARK STOP. TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISED TO RESCHEDULE THE EVENT. SO FAR, THOUGH, NO WORD ON WHEN THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. AND ANOTHER REPUBLICAN THAT’S ALREADY PAID SEVERAL VISITS RIGHT HERE TO IOWA IS NOW OFFICIALLY IN THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT. FRIDAY, SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR TIM SCOTT FILED HIS CANDIDACY WITH THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION. SCOTT HAS SCHEDULED A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY TOMORROW MORNING. AFTER THAT ANNOUNCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA, SCOTT TRAVELS TO SIOUX CITY ON WEDNESDAY BEFORE THEN HEADING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ANOTHER POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ALSO RETURNS TO IOWA THIS WEEK. THAT’S FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE WILL BE IN DES MOINES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. LAST WEEK, PENCE SUPPORTERS ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF A SUPER PAC TRYING TO HELP HIS POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL RUN. PENCE HAS SAID HE PLANS TO ANNOUNCE HIS DECISION ON WHETHER HE’LL RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE BY THE END OF NEXT MONTH. AND FORMER GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY ALSO PAID A VISIT TO THE HAWKEYE STATE LAST WEEK. NEXT ON CLOSE UP, WHAT SHE TOLD THE ANKENY CROWD WHEN ASKED WHETHER AMERICA’S ELECTIONS ARE FAIR. AND DES MOINES NEXT. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, WHAT DR. IAN ROBERTS SAYS NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO HELP TEACH ITS 31,000 STUDENTS. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY DECLARED HER RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE WAY BACK IN FEBRUARY. AND SINCE THEN, SHE’S MADE 22 STOPS IN THE HAWKEYE STATE LAST WEDNESDAY, SHE CAME BACK TO IOWA HOLDING A TOWN HALL IN ANKENY WHERE POTENTIAL VOTERS ASKED HER WHETHER SHE THINKS AMERICA’S ELECTIONS ARE FAIR AND WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE PEOPLE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE. JANUARY 6TH ATTACKS. I KNOW YOU HAVE ALWAYS WON ELECTIONS, AND I HOPE YOU WIN THIS ONE, TOO. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FAIRNESS OF ELECTIONS? DO YOU BELIEVE THEY ARE FAIR? IF NOT, HAS THE PARTY DONE ANYTHING TO ENSURE THAT THEY WILL BE FAIR? YOU KNOW, WHEN IN 2011 OR 2012, WHEN I WAS GOVERNOR, I PUSHED HROUGH VOTER ID AND I WA VILIFIED FOR IT. THE PRESS THAT I WAS IN FRANCHISING VOTERS AND I SAID, IF YOU HAVE TO SHOW A PICTURE ID TO BUY SUDAFED, IF YOU’VE GOT TO SHOW A PICTURE ID TO GET ON A PLANE, YOU SHOULD HAVE TO SHOW PICTURE ID TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION PROCESS. BUT I TOLD THE PRESS, I SAID, BUT I HEAR YOU. IF YOU THINK I’M DISENFRANCHIZING VOTERS, THEN ANYBODY WHO CAN’ GET AN ID, WE WILL GO PICK THEM UP. WE WILL TAKE THEM TO THE DMV. WE WILL GIVE THEM A FREE ID AND WE WILL RETURN THEM HOME SAFELY OUT OF 5 MILLION PEOPLE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ASK FOR A RIDE? 25. WE PASSED VOTER ID IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND LET ME TELL YOU THIS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY RACIST WHEN DEMOCRATS TELL YOU THAT MINORITIES ARE INCAPABLE OF GOING TO THE DMV AND GETTING AN ID, WE ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF GETTING AN ID FROM THE DMV. SO IF IT WERE UP TO ME, I WISH EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY HAD VOTER ID, YOU GO BACK AND YOU LOOK AT DURING COVID TIMES WHAT HAPPENED. PEOPLE CHANGED THE RULES. RIGHT. YOU SAW ALL THIS MAIL OUT BALLOTING THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED THE RIGHT WAY FOR EVERY STATE WON. HAVE VOTER. ID, 76%, I BELIEVE, OF PEOPLE, NOT REPUBLICANS OF THE GENERAL. PEOPLE WANT TO SHOW AN ID, THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEIR VOTE IS THEIRS. THE SECOND THING IS, I DON’T MIND ABSENTEE VOTING AND I DON’T MIND EARLY VOTING, BUT YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE. AND WHEN THOSE BALLOTS COME IN, THEY NEED TO VERIFY SIGNATURES AND COUNT THEM AS THEY COME IN. THERE’S NO REASON ANY STATE CAN’T PRODUCE THE RESULTS ON ELECTION NIGHT. I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO TO ENSURE THE FAIR AND SPEEDY TRIAL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED AND ARE IN JAIL FOR JANUARY SIXTH, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY’VE BEEN HANGING OUT THERE FOR AN AWFULLY LONG TIME. YOU KNOW, I WHAT I WILL SAY ABOUT JANUARY 6TH, I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY IT WAS A TERRIBLE DAY. IT WAS NOT A BEAUTIFUL DAY. IT WAS A TERRIBLE DAY. AND WE DON’T EVER WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. I THINK ANY PERSON RELATED TO JANUARY 6TH SHOULD BE TRIED FAIRLY. IF THEY BROKE THE LAW, THEY SHOULD PAY THE PRICE. IF THEY DIDN’T BREAK THE LAW, THEY SHOULDN’T. IT SHOULD. THEY SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. AND I THINK THAT WHATEVER IS HAPPENING THERE, I DON’T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL, BUT THAT’S MY ROLE. IF YOU BREAK THE LAW, YOU PAY THE PRICE AND SO I THINK THAT’S THE WAY WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT. ANOTHER GOP CANDIDATE, FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON, MADE SEVERAL STOPS IN EASTERN IOWA LAST WEEK AS WELL. THOSE STOPS INCLUDED WEST BRANCH, DAVENPORT, CLINTON, WILTON, MUSCATINE AND CEDAR FALLS. AND WHILE IN CEDAR FALLS, HUTCHINSON COMMENTED ON THE DURHAM REPORT CRITICAL OF THE FBI’S INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE LINKS BETWEEN THE TRUMP 2016 CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA. HE ALSO TOUCHED ON IOWA’S NEW PROGRAM TO OFFER PUBLIC MONEY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION. I’M A PRODUCT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN TO HOMESCHOOL PRIVATE SCHOOL, CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AND GRADUATED PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO I BELIEVE IN CHOICE AND EDUCATION. AND WHAT WE SEE NOW IS THAT THE DOLLARS CAN FLOW OR FOLLOW THOSE CHOICES THAT PARENTS MAKE. HOPEFULLY IT WILL MEAN THAT THOSE KIDS IN THE INNER SCHOOL WILL HAVE MORE OPTIONS. BUT IT ALSO SHOULD MAKE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BETTER. AND WHATEVER YOU’RE LOOKING AT, OUR REAL COMMUNITIES, THERE’S NOT SOMETIMES NOT OPTIONS. AND SO WE’VE GOT TO STRENGTHEN THEM. WE DON’T WANT TO UNDERMINE THEM. SO THIS IS WHAT’S HAPPENING BOTH IN ARKANSAS AND IOWA. BUT I HOPE THAT IT WOULD MEAN A BETTER PRODUCT IN THE END FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS, BECAUSE I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THIS. FIRST OF ALL, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE WAY THEY HANDLE THE MAR-A-LAGO SEARCH IS JUST WRONG. I’VE BEEN A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR. I UNDERSTAND. AND SEARCH WARRANTS. I UNDERSTAND THE OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HANDLE THAT WRONGLY. AND THAT’S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. THE DURHAM REPORT THAT COMES OUT SHOWCASE THAT THE FBI IS IN DIRE NEED OF REFORM, OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND CHANGE. AND SO YOU CAN CHECK BACK AND IF YOU GO ON OUR WEBSITE AS OF 2020 4.COM, YOU WILL SEE MY ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH. IT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO, THREE WEEKS AGO BEFORE THE DURHAM REPORT EVER CAME OUT. I SAID THAT IF I GET ELECTED PRESIDENT, I WILL REFORM FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WILL CHANGE IT. I WILL CHANGE THE FBI. AND I WANT TO HAVE SOME SPECIFIC ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT HOW TO REFORM THAT IN THE FUTURE. BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE DRAMATIC CHANGES, NOT JUST THE FBI AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OBVIOUSLY THE OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. I BELIEVE THIS WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT REFORM AND HEARINGS, AND CONGRESS WILL HAVE THAT WILL GIVE SUPPORT FOR MY INITIATIVE, WHICH IS TO REFORM FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO STAY TUNED ON THAT. AND I THINK IT’S A DIRE NEED THAT WE HAVE. AND NO ONE HAS MORE EXPERIENCE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT THAN I DO. AND I’M THE ONE THAT CAN HELP THE REFORM AT FBI, MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND AND IT IS NOT JUST THOSE CANDIDATES. A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES AND ALREADY ANNOUNCED ONES WILL GATHER AT THE IOWA STATE FAIRGROUNDS NEXT MONTH. MIKE PENCE, NIKKI HALEY, TIM SCOTT, VIVEK RAMASWAMY, PERRY JOHNSON AND LARRY ELDER HAVE ACCEPTED SENATOR JONI ERNST INVITATION TO JOIN HER JUNE THIRD IN IOWA FOR HER ANNUAL ROAST AND RIDE FUNDRAISER. ERNST SAYS SHE’S INVITED ALL PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS AND POSSIBLE CANDIDATES TO ATTEND THE ROAST AND RIDE AS A FUNDRAISER FOR VETERANS CAUSES. THIS YEAR, PROCEEDS WILL GO TO FREEDOM FOUNDATION OF CEDAR RAPIDS, THE ROAST AND RIDE HAS BECOME A DRAW FOR NATIONAL GOP FIGURES SINCE IT STARTED BACK IN 2015. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, DES MOINES NEW SCHOOL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT HEAR FROM DR. IAN ROBERTS ON HIS PLANS FOR IOWA’S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. LAST TUESDAY, THE DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD SELECTED DR. IAN ROBERTS AS ITS NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. DR. ROBERTS, CURRENTLY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PENNSYLVANIA, THAT’S A SUBURB OF ERIE, HAS JUST UNDER 7500 STUDENTS. AND AFTER HIS APPOINTMENT WAS ANNOUNCED, DR. ROBERTS TALKED ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR IOWA’S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ITS 31,000 STUDENTS. BUT WHAT IS THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE IS THE FACT THAT I SEE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. I REMAIN COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT AS I COLLABORATE WITH EVERY DISTRICT LEADER, EVERY SCHOOL LEADER, EVERY TEACHER AND STAFF, THAT THE 31,000 CHILDREN WHO KNOCK ON OUR DOORS EVERY SINGLE DAY IN SCHOOL YEAR 23, 24 WILL GET A QUALITY EDUCATION AND BENEFIT FROM A GROUP OF ADULTS WHO WILL REMAIN FOCUSED AND UNWAVERING ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT THEY BECOME THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR MISSION. MY TIME IN DES MOINES WILL COMMENCE ON JULY 1ST, AND I COMMIT TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. NOT THE SAME WY I DID AS A 2000 OLYMPIC ATHLETE. I’M A LITTLE SLOWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I REST ASSURED THAT WHILE I AS AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE, I COMPETED IN AN INDIVIDUAL RACE. I WANT TO APPROACH THIS WORK IN DES MOINES AS IF I AM ON A RELAY TEAM WHERE EVERY SINGLE PERSON WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PASS THE BATON AROUND SO THAT WE CAN ULTIMATELY GET TO THE FINISH LINE. AND THAT FINISH LINE FOR US IS GROUNDED IN THE GOALS AND THE GUARDRAILS THAT THE BOARD, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND TEAM, HAS SET FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. I AM A CHAMPION FOR TEACHERS. I’M COMMITTED TO COACHING AND DEVELOPING LEADERS. BUT ALLOW ME TO REITERATE MORE IMPORTANTLY, EVERY SINGLE CHILD WHO KNOCKS ON OUR DOORS FAMILIES REST ASSURED THEY WILL RECEIVE A QUALITY EDUCATION THAT CHANGES THEIR TRAJECTORY FOR SUCCESS. DES MOINES. THANK YOU FOR THE WARM AND GRACIOUS WELCOME. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE IOWA STATE FAIR. YEAH, THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THE OPPORTUNITIES FIRST START WITH THE FACT THAT THIS IS A BOARD THAT REMAINS COMMITTED TO PARTNERING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE REST OF THE DISTRICT. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY EARLIER TODAY TO CONNECT WITH A NUMBER OF THE DISTRICT LEADERS, AND IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY A GROUP OF COMMITTED AND DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS, BUT THE CAPACITY IN EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT MANIFESTED ITSELF TODAY IN THOSE BRIEF CONVERSATIONS BODES WELL FOR WHAT IS TO COME. AND FINALLY, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A NARROW FOCUS ON GOALS AND GUARDRAILS THAT WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GROUNDED IN EVERY SINGLE DECISION THAT WE MAKE IN WHAT IS GOING TO PRODUCE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS. AND YOU HEARD HIM SAY IT, DR. ROBERTS OFFICIALLY STARTS HIS JOB AS SUPERINTENDENT JULY 1ST. HE SUCCEEDS THIS MAN, MATT SMITH, SERVED AS INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT SINCE JUNE OF LAST YEAR. SMITH HAS BEEN HANDLING THE ROLE SINCE THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT, TOM ECKERT, RESIGNED. THE DES MOINES SCHOOL BOARD VOTED NOT TO EXTEND HIS CONTRACT PASSED THIS YEAR. EHARDT STARTED AS DES MOINES SUPERINTENDENT IN 2013. NOW THERE’S ALSO A LEADERSHIP SHAKEUP AT A LOCAL COLLEGE. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, BYERS SAID HE’S LEAVING THE GREAT DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP TO BECOME THE PRESIDENT OF SIMPSON COLLEGE. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. JAY BYERS HAS BEEN PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS. AND LAST WEEK, SIMPSON COLLEGE ANNOUNCED HE WOULD BECOME ITS NEXT PRESIDENT DURING HIS TIME WITH THE PARTNERSHIP, BYERS ALSO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE SIMPSON BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IT’S ALSO WORKED AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR TEACHING POLITICAL SCIENCE COURSES AT SIMPSON ABOUT FOUR YEARS. DOING THAT WEDNESDAY, DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING BYERS SELECTION, HE TALKED ABOUT LEAVING THE PARTNERSHIP AND HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF SIMPSON. I’M SO PROUD OF THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE GREATER DES MOINES FOR OUR COLLECTIVE RECORD OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ACHIEVEMENT OVER THE PAST DECADE PLUS OUR REGION HAS BEEN THE FASTEST GROWING MAJOR METRO IN THE MIDWEST IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION, GDP AND JOB GROWTH. AND WE’VE RACKED UP A LONG LIST OF NATIONAL RANKINGS AND ACCOLADES, AND THAT INCLUDES WARREN COUNTY AND AND INDIANOLA AS PART OF OUR REGION IN SIMPSON COLLEGE SPECIFICALLY, HAS PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS GROWTH. MOVING FORWARD. I LOOK FORWARD TO TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE TRUSTEES, THE FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS, ALUMNI AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO MAXIMIZE THE MOMENTUM OF SIMPSON’S CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON RECRUITMENT, RETAIN ATTENTION AND RESOURCES, AND TO SET FORTH A BOLD VISION FOR OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE. COLLECTIVELY, WE WILL IDENTIFY VISIONARY OPPORTUNITIES IN ACADEMICS, CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS TO CREATE THE SIMPSON COLLEGE OF THE FUTURE. TOGETHER, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A NATIONAL MODEL OF SUCCESS FOR SMALL, PRIVATE, LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES. ON FRIDAY, THE GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP NAMED TIFFANY POWESHIEK AS BAYER’S REPLACEMENT, SHE’S WORKED WITH THE PARTNERSHIP FOR EIGHT YEARS. TOSHACK STARTS HER NEW ROLE ON JULY 1ST. WELL, THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING ON KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. WE WILL SEE YOU RIGHT BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY.