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
It has been quite a week in the Iowa legislature, as AEAs lobbied against the proposed additional $5 million funding reduction that was introduced late last week. Thank you to all who contacted your legislators--the response across the state was heard and many partners joined us in telling the story of the true implications that will result from lost services.
The reality is that while the state general fund revenue has had steady growth over the past five years, funding for Iowa schools and AEAs has lagged behind. By prioritizing other funding ahead of education, the legislature found they had a shortfall in balancing their budgets, and AEAs became a target for closing part of the gap. (Just last year, state general fund revenue growth was in excess of 6%, but AEAs and schools were given a 1.25% increase. For next year, the state general fund is projected to grow at 4.1% while the legislature and Governor approved a 2.25% increase.)
At noon today, the Senate passed the standings bill to reduce the proposed AEA cut to $3.75 million instead of $5 million. The House will still have to act and these numbers certainly remain in flux as the session moves to adjournment.
Even with the proposed reduction in funding, AEAs are federally mandated to support students with special needs, and in the short-term, Heartland AEA does not plan to reduce staff serving our most vulnerable students. But our agency will also not be able to sustain reductions in funding over time without a negative impact on services we provide. The legislature’s on-going reduction already prevents us from hiring as many additional new staff members as needed to keep pace with the growing student population across our service area.
While there are many disappointments coming from this year’s legislative session, Iowa’s educational system remains strong. By focusing our work on improving the learning outcomes for students, we will continue to provide a valued service to students and their families. We look forward to opportunities to collaborate with our elected leaders to find ways to restore our state’s commitment to predictable and adequate funds necessary to assure all of Iowa’s children have the education necessary for a bright future.
Paula Vincent
Chief Administrator
Heartland AEA
Districts must complete Step III of the online Request for Transportation Agreement process by next Friday, April 29. Check your district’s status here. Review the instructions and timelines including the updated video tutorials to complete the process. For more information, contact Jenny Ugolini at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14441.
Quality and affordable student planners are available for your school through Heartland AEA’s Creative Services Department. Planners have a plastic front and back cover, coil binding and contain intro pages, planner pages, note pages and numerous reference and resource pages from which to choose. The planners include a full-year calendar to accommodate extended year schedules.
Visit our website to choose your preferred cover design, planner pages and reference pages from our set styles for planners. Optional pages, such as hall passes, can be added for an additional fee. Place your orders by May 1, 2016 so they will be ready for the beginning of the school year.
For more information, contact the Heartland AEA Creative Services Department at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14368 or creativeservices@heartlandaea.org.
Our Kids Summer Institute 2016 registration is OPEN! The 12th Annual Institute, “Trip the Light,” is an opportunity for education professionals to network with their peers, discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa, and learn from national and local experts to enrich their practices for increasing EL achievement.
Our Kids Summer Institute “Trip the Light”
Date: June 16-17, 2016
Location: Waukee High School, 555 SE University Ave., Waukee, IA
Conference brochure (for Heartland AEA participants)
Registration
Heartland AEA educators are reimbursed $150 for registration via Title III claim form, plus $150 honorarium, for full attendance and participation in the full two-day conference. Claim forms will be available onsite June 17.
Come a day early for the pre-conference workshop!
Grades 3-12 teachers are invited to explore evidence-based practices that support English learners and striving students in making gains in academic oral language and literacy to access the demands of the Common Core standards.
Our Kids Pre-conference Workshop: Using the Academic Vocabulary Toolkit for ELLs in Grades 3-12
Date: June 15, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Register here for the pre-conference
*Registration includes Academic Vocabulary Toolkit materials by Kate Kinsella, National Geographic and lunch.
Heartland AEA educators are reimbursed $150 for registration via Title III claim form, plus $100 honorarium, for full attendance and participation in the workshop. Claim forms will be available onsite.
National Geographic’s English language development programs will be presented at Heartland AEA on May 2, 2016 for Heartland AEA districts that have purchased National Geographic Inside/Edge and Inside the USA materials and haven’t received formal training on the materials. Inside/Edge is designed for middle and high school students. Inside the USA provides essential language and literacy skills for newcomers. Denise Detmar, one of National Geographic's national trainers, will facilitate the workshop. Learn more in this brochure and at these links: www.NGL.cengage.com/Inside, www.NGL.cengage.com/Edge.
Date: May 2, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA, Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131
Registration: Click here to register. Registration is limited and there is no cost to attend.
Activity #: ES009892111601
Title III funds are available to cover the cost of substitute teachers. District claim forms will be available at the workshop.
The Iowa Department of Education will hold a summer institute for teachers on June 15-17, 2016. National experts in science will lead elementary, middle and high school teachers through the standards. The goal is to give educators tools they need to implement the innovations in their practice. This institute assumes that attendees are familiar with the new science standards (attended Module 1 AEA training), as the Institute is not an introduction to the standards. If you are interested in attending and need the introductory Module 1 training, contact your AEA Science Consultant. Registration links are below for this free training.
Elementary - June 15
Middle School - June 16
High School - June 17
