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
Iowa’s four-year graduation rate has climbed statewide for the fourth year in a row while dropout rates continue to fall, according to figures released this week by the Iowa Department of Education.
The data show 90.5 percent of students in Iowa’s Class of 2014 graduated within four years.
“Iowans should be proud that our students are graduating high school at some of the highest rates in the country,” Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck said. “While this is great news, we also must continue to look beyond the high school diploma and ensure all students are prepared for college and career training. This is essential for success in an economy where Iowa workers compete with others from across the world.”
The statewide graduation rate has increased 2.2 percent over a four-year period, from 88.3 percent for the Class of 2011 to 90.5 percent for the Class of 2014. (See chart below.)
Graduation rates increased for all but two subgroups of students in the Class of 2014, with significant increases among students whose first language is not English (7.4 percent), students with disabilities (3.6 percent), students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (3.6 percent), and Hispanic students (2.2 percent).
Read more on the Iowa Department of Education website.
The April 2015 issue of the School Leader Update is available from the Iowa Department of Education. Read about Director Brad Buck’s new journey. Shan Sievert gives you a legislative update (hint: progress is being made). And attorney Nicole Proesch writes about everything from prom to privacy.
The April 2015 issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter is available from the Iowa Department of Education. This issue examines classroom behavior. The DE headed to Iowa City to see how a very disruptive classroom was literally transformed in a matter of months. The data points don’t lie – what they are doing in Iowa City works. In addition, read about a Bettendorf girl who was featured in a national advertising campaign.
Our Kids Summer Institute 2015 registration is OPEN! The Institute prides itself on highlighting cultures of students and families in Iowa by incorporating culturally and linguistically diverse voices in panels, cultural performances, planning, etc. Districts are encouraged to send a team(s) of administrators, classroom and ESL teachers and any other staff members who impact the education of ELLs.
Heartland AEA Title III will provide a $200 stipend to Heartland AEA Title III educators to help defray costs, with the reimbursement claim form available at the Institute. (Please note that this reimbursement does NOT include Des Moines Public Schools due to funding requirements).
Dates: June 16 & 17, 2015
Location: Waukee High School
Activity Number: ES009168221601
Osage Community School is accepting applications until April 10 for the position of Superintendent of Schools. Osage is the county seat of Mitchell County. The school has an enrollment of 900+ students. Application materials can be found on the district website.
There have been several requests across the state seeking registration information for the Journey to Excellence Mentor Facilitator Training. This training is for those individuals who organize and facilitate the Mentor & Induction program either at their AEA or district staff that currently hold those positions or aspire to do so. This year’s training is funded through the AEA TLC funds and ISEA NEA grant funds. Learn more below about the training and where to register.
The Journey to Excellence program offers many strong areas of focus: 1) it clearly focuses on effective teaching using the Iowa Teaching Standards as defined in A Framework for Understanding the Iowa Teaching Standards and Criteria, 2) it prepares experienced educators to serve as mentors and 3) it provides learning opportunities for mentors to use with beginning educators.
Furthermore, a focus is directed to understand the relationship between the Iowa Teaching Standards and comprehensive evaluation. This relationship helps establish a “firewall” between mentor and evaluator by acknowledging the confidential relationship between the beginning educator and the mentor.
Compared to other programs, the benefits are twofold: for the beginning educator, a qualified teacher is created; for the mentor, a teacher leader is created.
Journey to Excellence Mentor Facilitator Training
Dates: June 23-June 27, 2015 (webinar support dates will be held throughout the school year for implementation assistance)
Location: Stoney Creek Conference Center (5291 Stoney Creek Ct, Johnston)
Registration: http://www.cvent.com/d/qrq0rr
The next HAA meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 7 in Room 107 A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) and will begin at 9:00 a.m. The agenda, handouts and directions to attend via Zoom are all posted on the HAA Google site.
It’s never too early to start planning for the future! Let’s Talk Transition is an event linking transition-age students with special needs to community and agency resources. Jasper County parents, teachers and students 14 and older are invited to this FREE event. Please pass on this flyer to interested students and teachers.
Let’s Talk Transition
Date: April 21, 2015
Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Newton Public Library, meeting room A/B
Registration: http://bit.ly/TransitionTalk15
