Our Mission
To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve
the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.
Our Goals
• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Teachers, students and parents are encouraged to attend the Iowa
Financial Literacy Summit on May 5 in Des Moines. The Iowa Department of
Education is hosting this event as part of a broader effort to improve
Iowa students’ financial literacy skills. The purpose of the summit is
to raise awareness that making smart, responsible financial decisions is
an important part of a great education; to provide teaching resources
to help students meet the financial literacy component of our state
standards; and to connect Iowans with community resources and programs
that support financial literacy education. Tickets are available through
April 21.
For more information, including the summit agenda and registration information, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.
Quality and affordable student planners are available for your school through Heartland AEA’s Creative Services. Basic planners will have a plastic cover and coil binding and will contain intro pages, planner pages, note pages and different calendars. The planners include a full-year calendar to accommodate extended year schedules.
Choose your preferred cover, intro pages, planner pages, note pages and calendars from our set styles for basic planners (see Planner Guide). Optional pages can be added for an additional fee (student handbook, activities calendars, etc.). Order quantities must be a minimum of 50 planners.
Standard Planner Prices
5.5” x 8.5” - $1.70 per planner
8.5” x 11” - $2.80 per planner
7" x 11" - $3.10 per planner
Click here for the Planner Guide (shows options for covers, intro pages, calendar pages, etc.) and here for the Planner Order Form. Please have your planner orders placed by May 15, 2015 and approved by June 2, 2015 so they will be ready for the beginning of the school year.
For more information or to ask about personalizing your school's planners, contact our Creative Services at creativeservices@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14368.
Earlier this week the Heartland AEA Communications Department sent out the second issue of the Educator Connection newsletter
in its new format. The Educator Connection is intended to keep our
educators better connected to our agency and to the many programs and
services we offer to educators, students and families. Educators can
subscribe to receive the newsletter here.
If you have any comments or suggestions for articles you’d like to see, please e-mail them to the Heartland AEA Communications Department.
As we gear up for our summer professional development season, we have news to share about some changes coming to many of our courses. We know change is scary, but we promise it won’t be too painful. In fact, we think it will be a positive change for everyone!
Professional development courses offered through Heartland AEA that begin on or after July 1, 2015 will give students the opportunity for more rigorous course content and out-of-class learning. Specifically, all classes offering Drake University graduate credit will have new requirements. For example, a one-credit course will require 15 hours of in-class learning plus an additional 30 hours of out-of-class learning. This will be true for all participants, whether they are taking the class for graduate credit or license renewal credit. Participants will need to check their course syllabus closely to become familiar with what the requirements will be for each of our courses.
The following Q & A will help course participants understand these new requirements.
Why is this change happening?
This change is taking place because of two factors:
- As it applies to Drake University courses, the Title IV Federal Financial Aid Guidelines now require 15 instructor-led hours with an additional 30 hours of outside work. This connects to Federal Student Loan requirements for degree completion.
- As it applies to license renewal courses, the statewide AEA system is working together to develop common programs, procedures and policies across the state for AEA license renewal programs. With the change to the Drake requirements, and the statewide license renewal programming connections, this change is coming about at this time.
Will graduate credit still work for salary advancement?
As with all personnel questions, it is best to contact your district/school’s Human Resources Department. As far as we know, these credits will still work for advancement on the salary schedule. You may, however, want to double check as to what grade is required (A, B, C, D).
With these added requirements, can I use this credit toward a master’s degree?
If the course is taken for graduate credit, and if you secure advisor approval, these courses can be used as electives in a Drake master’s program. Other universities may also allow these courses. We encourage educators to check with their institution to be certain.
Why are the requirements for licensure renewal credit the same as Drake University credit?
The statewide AEA system, with input from school administrators and university leaders, determined that the focus of a course should be on the learning, not on the number of hours spent on the course. If the rigor of the course meets that of a master’s level, the learning should also be at that level for the license renewal course. This way all participants in a course have the same level of learning, which will lead to more robust conversations and greater learning all around.
Why wouldn’t I just take a course at Drake?
The costs for Drake credit through Heartland AEA are a bargain! If you were to take a course at Drake University, you would pay $450 per credit plus a $60 technology fee. The cost of a one-credit Drake course through Heartland AEA is either $100 or $160 depending on the type of course.
For more information, please see this informational video.
If you have any other questions, contact Sue Schirmer, License Renewal Coordinator, at sschirmer@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14379.
Date: April 13, 2015
Time: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Location: Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School
Parents, students ages
14+, educators and AEA staff are invited to attend this fair to gather
information that will be of assistance to students with special needs
who will be transitioning from high school to post-secondary pursuits.
Break-out Sessions
6:20-6:55 p.m., 7:05-7:40 p.m., 7:50-8:30 p.m.
Informational Tables
5:30-8:00 p.m.
Registration
Registration is not
required, but it would be helpful if students let their guidance
counselor or special education teacher know that they plan to attend by
March 30, 2015.
