Required Item: Use Iowa-ELDA to Meet Title III Mandates

After checking the list of Heartland AEA 11 school districts that have ordered the I-ELDA, it was discovered that several schools have not ordered the testing materials from Northwest AEA. The testing window is now open for administering the I-ELDA but will be closing April 30, 2009.

All ESL students must be assessed using I-ELDA to meet Title III mandates. To order the I-ELDA, click here or go to the Northwest AEA Web site www.nwaea.k12.ia.us, choose Programs and Services, then click on Iowa English Language Development Assessment. Information under the subheadings will answer many of the questions you may have about the I-ELDA. The forms and template headings provide the information you will need to order your tests and bar codes for the bubble sheets. It is important that your district provide the correct state ID number for the bar codes.

If you have any questions, contact Stephaney Jones-Vo, sjonesvo@aea11.k12.ia.us or Pat Latham, platham@aea11.k12.ia.us. A PowerPoint or DVD training manual can also be provided to assist you with the I-ELDA process if needed.

We Need Your Help By Completing the Iowa AEA Customer Satisfaction Survey

Why?
We use data from this survey to make program decisions that benefit schools in the Heartland region. Our goal is to double our response rate from 18% to 36%.

When?
Monday, March 9 - Thursday, April 9

How?
You can reach the survey by clicking the following link: http://survey.aea267.k12.ia.us/survey/5520/1706/

Please remind all of your staff to participate.

Help Spread the Word, "Iowa's AEAs....Impacting Lives"

Heartland and Iowa's Area Education Agencies ask for your help in spreading our “Iowa’s AEAs …. Impacting Lives” campaign to further awareness and understanding about Iowa AEA services. We feel that one of the best ways to reach our stakeholders is to campaign through our schools. If you are willing, we would greatly appreciate the addition of the following tag lines in your school, parent and/or staff newsletters and a link to the Iowa AEA Web site, http://www.iowaaea.org, on your school district's Web site. If you have questions, please contact the Heartland Communications department, comms@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Classrooms aren’t places of learning by accident. Dedicated teachers provide nurturing environments where high levels of learning take place. But who supports teachers? Who provides professional development and on-going support? Area Education Agencies.

When teachers succeed, students achieve. Contact your Area Education Agency for support and assistance.
http://www.iowaaea.org

Area Education Agency consultants provide strategic professional development opportunities for teachers; curriculum consultants provide resources and classroom strategies; media specialists recommend and provide materials to support lesson planning; specialists provide effective assessments and special education teams identify and support youngsters with special needs.

When teachers succeed, students achieve. Contact your Area Education Agency for support and assistance.
http://www.iowaaea.org

No two children are alike. Some race through life at top speed, some are thoughtful and inquisitive and some require help for basic learning and physical skills. Area Education Agencies support and impact the lives of all children in our education system. For more information about your Area Education Agency, go to http://www.iowaaea.org.

Youth in Action for a Healthy Iowa

This spring, the Iowa Department of Education’s Team Nutrition program and the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council (SIYAC) are sponsoring four regional “Youth in Action for a Healthy Iowa” symposiums. The symposiums are designed for high school teams to identify the problems, suggest solutions and discover ways to support their healthy school environments through nutrition and physical activity.

Click here for more information and here for a registration form.