Des Moines Public Schools and the Texas-based search firm it blamed for recommending Ian Roberts have agreed to settle their lawsuit over his disastrous hiring, ending a legal fight that was headed toward a January 2028 trial. Neither side has said how much money, if any, is changing hands or what other terms are attached to the deal.
The parties notified a federal court this past Monday that they had reached a settlement, according to The Des Moines Register. The notice filed that day did not disclose the amount or terms of the agreement, and formal closing documents are due to the court by Dec. 9. Until then, the exact shape of the resolution between the district and JG Consulting is anyone's guess.
A Hire That Unraveled Into Scandal
The lawsuit traces back to 2023, when Roberts was hired to lead Des Moines Public Schools following a search process run by JG Consulting. The arrangement collapsed in September 2025, when Roberts resigned after being arrested on immigration charges, a downfall the Register describes as drawing national attention. Roberts, a native of Guyana, had reportedly lived and worked in the United States for years without legal authorization, and he is now serving a two-year prison sentence for immigration and firearm offenses.
The district sued JG Consulting in October 2025, accusing the firm of failing to properly vet Roberts before offering him up as a finalist candidate. The company, in turn, denied any wrongdoing and, in court filings, accused the district of looking for a scapegoat, per the same Register report. JG Consulting fired back in February 2026 with counterclaims against the district for defamation, arguing in one filing that the district's sole focus has been on attempting to shift blame for its failures to JG Consulting.
What The District's Own Investigation Found
A district-commissioned investigation released in November 2025 complicated the finger-pointing on both sides. The inquiry found that JG Consulting provided the school board with an incorrect version of Roberts' résumé on multiple occasions, both before and after he was hired, according to the Des Moines Public Schools investigation report. The same report found that the background check performed on Roberts covered only the prior seven years and did not identify any immigration issues.
The investigation also noted that no documents had been provided showing JG Consulting actually used E-Verify to confirm Roberts' work eligibility, according to a district FAQ on the investigative report. Even so, the investigator found that the school board's own process for selecting a search firm in the first place was deliberate and thorough, identifying no irregularities on the board's end. The district has said it sued the firm for breach of contract and negligence, alleging JG Consulting represented Roberts as a suitable candidate when he was not.
Fallout Still Being Addressed
The Roberts scandal brought scrutiny well beyond the district's own boardroom; Republican lawmakers gave the district negative scrutiny in February 2026 as the fallout continued to play out publicly. In response to the investigation's findings, the district has said it will review its hiring-related processes, including background checks, reference checks, and documentation review and verification, per the district FAQ.
Board member Jackie Norris has been among the district's sharpest voices on the matter, saying the firm failed its duty to properly vet candidates and that Roberts should have never been presented as a finalist in the first place. With the lawsuit now headed toward a negotiated close rather than a 2028 trial, those closing documents due next month may be the next point at which more details about the settlement — if any become public — finally surface.
