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Iowa's AEAs Announce Budget Toolkit for School Leaders

Iowa's AEAs, in concert with Larry Sigel of Iowa School Financial Information Services, have developed a communications toolkit to help school administrators respond and guide community conversations about what implications the governor's budget cut has for local districts across the state and for education as a whole.

To access the Iowa Schools Budget Communications Toolkit, visit the Iowa AEA Web site at www.iowaaea.org.

Heartland AEA and Southeast Polk CSD to co-host "Facing Budget Reductions with Confidence"

Heartland AEA and Southeast Polk are partnering to offer a two-day session to help participants learn how difficult budget decisions can be improved by putting the focus upon clear, weighted criteria which are used to rationally prioritize difficult budget choices. Participants will learn how to use the Tregoe Analytical tools to make these decisions. Read below for more information and please reply by emailing adavids@aea11.k12.ia.us to indicate if your district has an interest in participating and how many people you anticipate will attend. Also, let us know if you have a preference of the following dates, January 11 & 12, January 26 & 27 or February 8 & 9. The cost will be based on the number of people participating. (The more participating, the lower the cost. The fee may range from $50 to $100 per person.)

Facing Budget Reductions with Confidence: Getting It Right the First Time
By developing objective criteria before the debate about “what to cut?”, it helps remove the emotion that often accompanies budget reduction discussions. Using an analytic approach which will be understood by all will not only improve results but also minimize misunderstandings and conflict. This two-day session will:

• Address the importance of a leadership team using a common framework of analytic processes for making difficult decisions and solving complex problems.
• Utilize a case study which will involve the participants in making some budget decisions.
• Provide a sample “resolution” to the case study which uses the Tregoe Education Forum’s Decision-Analysis process.
• Learn how to use Decision-Analysis to develop clear, weighted criteria for budget reduction, evaluate a list of potential budget actions, identify high-impact risks associated with proposed reductions, develop preventative actions to address risks and develop an implementation and communication plan for rolling out budget actions.

Accessible Books and Periodicals for Readers with Print Disabilities

IDEA 2004 requires states to provide timely access to required books and textbooks in accessible formats. The Iowa DE is encouraging districts to sign up qualified students with Bookshare, http://www.bookshare.org. Bookshare is free and serves students with print disabilities such as blindness, low vision, a physical disability or reading disability that is based on an organic dysfunction. Qualified students will have access to tens of thousands of books including textbooks from the NIMAC, educational reading, reference materials, fiction, newspapers and magazines. In addition, Bookshare offers free software applications that read digital books.

Additional information on next steps, instructions on how to join Bookshare, descriptions of student qualifications (NIMAS) and training opportunities are on the Heartland Web site at http://aea11bookshare.pbworks.com/.

EBSCO on the Go! Mini-Library for Mobile Devices

A mobile interface to the EBSCO databases is now available. Enter this URL on your Smartphone or iTouch and then bookmark it--http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=mobsmart. Use the school username/password to access the online databases.

The EBSCO mobile interface re-sizes the screen to give full access to features.

• Resource library in the teachers (or students) pocket.
• Full searching capability--search by date, document type, publication title and/or other limiters.
• Full-text articles, documents and images can be e-mailed or viewed.
• PDFs (some of primary source documents) are available.
• Image Collection (especially news and current events) is available.

Note: Javascript must be enabled on the Smartphone or iTouch. BlackBerry users can refer to this link for information on enabling Javascript: http://www.ehow.com/how_4965723_enable-javascript-blackberry.html.

For a list of the 24 EBSCO databases and/or an 8.5x11 poster, ask your teacher librarian or contact Susan Schrader, Heartland AEA Resource and Publications Supervisor, at sschrader@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Heartland AEA Chief Administrator Search Update

Heartland has officially posted the Agency's chief administrator vacancy with the Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates search firm and applicants are now encouraged to apply for the position. A description of the position and a link to apply for it are posted on the front page of Heartland’s Web site and will remain there until the end of December.

Screening of applications will begin in late December and/or early January, with the Board of Directors interviewing those candidates deemed most qualified in late January. The candidate chosen will be encouraged to begin employment as soon as possible and no later than July 1, 2010.

The Board of Directors is seeking an educational leader to be Heartland's next chief administrator who possesses these attributes and skills:

• Can articulate and rally support for the organization's mission, vision and values.
• Knows how to maintain positive relationships with the Board, staff and member districts.
• Can lead a large complex agency.
• Understands special education and the special needs of students.
• Understands the service role of intermediate agencies.
• Is an excellent communicator and an effective team leader.
• Is committed to high standards for leadership behavior, operations and student learning.
• Is open, honest, caring and collaborative.