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
On March 2, Heartland AEA held its second annual Education Career Fair, to help match school districts in our service area with education job seekers. For the second year in a row, it was a resounding success, with approximately 300 in attendance! We were happy to see a great mix of attendees -- from experienced teachers, to new teachers to college students preparing for life beyond graduation.
In addition to being able to meet on-site with central Iowa school districts, applicants could participate in mock interviews, resume critiques and gather graduate program information from area universities. The mock interviews and resume critiques proved to be very popular as attendees filled all available slots for the day. And new this year, job seekers could have their professional head shots taken at no charge, courtesy of Heartland AEA’s multimedia specialists.
“We were excited to hold this education job fair for multiple reasons, first and foremost to provide a service to the districts and schools in our service area,” Tony Chiaramonte, Heartland AEA Human Resources Manager, said. “Our agency is aware of the high turnover rate in the teaching profession, especially during the first few years a teacher is in the classroom. We wanted to gather as many districts as we could in one place, so that educators can meet representatives from many districts at the same time and get a feel for what multiple districts have to offer. We want to be part of the solution and help keep new teachers from leaving the profession and from leaving Iowa by helping them find a district where they enjoy what they do.”
Find pictures of the event on our Facebook page.
Heartland AEA is beginning year two of the online Request for Transportation Approval process.
Chapter 285.9(3) of the Iowa Code requires the Area Education Agency Board of Directors to approve all bus routes outside the boundaries of the school district operating the buses. This has been interpreted to mean regular routes and regular special education routes, not bussing for field trips or activity trips. The Code requires you to request permission from neighboring district(s) before any bus routes cross district boundaries.
Last year the process was completed for the first time using an online submission process. Please review the instructions and timelines to complete the process for 2016-17, including the updated video tutorials.
Districts are asked to begin the process this month and to complete step III by April 30.
For more information, contact Jenny Ugolini at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14441.
Heartland AEA will be offering the 6-day paraeducator ESL certification class in June. Please let your associates who work with ELLs know about this opportunity. Title III funds will provide a stipend of $300 for all paraeducators who work with ELLs, who fulfill the course requirements and who are currently employed by a public or non-public K-12 school in the Heartland AEA area. (This option is not available for employees of Des Moines Public Schools).
Paraeducator Area of Concentration: English as a Second Language (ESL)
Dates: June 7-10, 13 & 14, 2016
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Dr., Johnston
Register: Here
For more information, contact Pam Childers at pchilders@heartlandaea.org.
Date: April 11, 2016
Time: 5:30-7:45 p.m.
Location: Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, 801 Nile Kinnick Drive South, in Adel
The Transition Resource Fair is a free event that focuses on linking families of students age 14 and older with special needs to valuable community resources that can be of assistance to them as they transition to living, learning and working after high school. Please share this information with educators and families in your district.
For more information, contact Paula Allen at (515) 270-9030 ext. 11257.
The March 2016 School Leader Update is available from the Iowa Department of Education. In it, Director Wise writes about the state transitioning to Every Student Succeeds Act, Policy Liaison Shan Seivert gives legislative updates, and Attorney Nicole Proesch offers some legal updates (and a wee bit ‘o Irish).
In this letter from the Iowa Department of Education to Iowa superintendents regarding ESSA, Director Wise addresses initial planning and a decision to no longer require school districts to set aside Title I funding for school choice or supplemental education services starting in 2016-17 (this will become a local decision). You will hear more from the DE soon about a plan to gather public feedback on providing alternative supports to SES-eligible students in schools with the greatest need.
Information and resources will be posted on an ongoing basis to the DE website.
