Our Mission
To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth by providing services and leadership in partnership with families, schools and communities.
Our Goals
- Increase learning growth for students
- Decrease the gap in achievement
- Increase annual graduation rates
- Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Great Prairie AEA has developed this brief legislative advocacy checklist and tactical timeline for your reference in this legislative session.
Do you know someone who has made outstanding contributions to education and the system of Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs)? Please take a few minutes to nominate this person for recognition by Iowa’s AEAs. Iowa’s Area Education Agencies bestows three awards to outstanding candidates for their contributions to education and the AEA system.
To submit a nomination, complete this application by Feb. 3, 2017. Anyone is welcome to submit a nomination. The nominations will be reviewed by a selected group of AEA personnel in February. Both the nominating individual and those who are selected to be recognized will be notified by March 1. The awards will be presented at the Iowa AEA Boards of Directors’ Conference on March 30-31, 2017 in Des Moines.
The ELPA21 Assessment Administration Training for 2016-2017 is now available at AEA PD Online. All staff who are responsible for administering the ELPA21 assessment are required to complete this training prior to administering the test. The administration window is Feb. 13 to April 14, 2017. Practice tests will become available on Feb. 1, 2017.
The first Path to Reading Excellence in School Sites (PRESS) webinar will take place on Feb. 6 from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. It will be focusing on utilizing the PRESS Community Learning Solution Site and will be conducted through the PRESS Learning Site with the University of Minnesota PRESS Trainers. Register at this link.
The PRESScommunity.org website offers a collection of diverse resources to help implement PRESS in schools and classrooms. This webinar provides guidance and recommendations to access and utilize the website to its fullest. User tips and strategies will be shared as well suggestions for supporting your implementation of PRESS using the online resources. These include instructional videos, downloadable PDFs, webinars, demonstration videos and community forums.
The webinar is intended for educators who currently have a license for this site and are implementing PRESS and would like to understand how the PRESS Community website can help support their work.
The next webinar through the PRESS Community Learning Site will be March 6 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. and it will be more of a discussion with a question and answer time with the PRESS Trainers. Registration coming soon.
Des Moines Public Schools is hosting its second annual Summit on School Climate and Culture, Aug. 7-8, 2017 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. This event is designed to improve school climate and culture through professional development, skill building and application of the best practices and research. Well-known national experts including Sir Ken Robinson, Chris Emdin, principal Kafele, Anthony Muhammad and others. The summit will have a series of workshops, speeches and breakout sessions focusing on best practices in improving student behavior, MTSS, cultural proficiency, social and emotional health, stakeholder engagement and more. For more information about the event, including online registration, visit the event website.
DMACC Ankeny Campus has a single phase drill press surplus item available. If interested, contact Julie Klocke with DMACC Purchasing at jaklocke1@dmacc.edu.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
The new ESSA amendments to McKinney-Vento require that each local district's homeless education liaison receive training annually regarding the updated requirements. The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is helping you fill that requirement by offering free webinars in January and February. Visit their website to learn more at NCHE Webinars. Send completion certificates to the state coordinator, Sandra Johnson at sandra.johnson@iowa.gov along with your name, position and district. Or email Johnson with the list of titles you have viewed since Oct. 2016.
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
June 21 will be an epic gathering of Iowans from across preK-12, business, government, nonprofit and higher learning for a one-day "Fast-Track Iowa’s Future" summit at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. The Summit will showcase education-workforce innovations emerging across the state while engaging stakeholders in dialogue on how to grow and improve school-business alignment, especially in STEM.
Fast-Track Iowa’s Future Summit
Date: June 21, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 3rd Street, Des Moines, IA
Register here
The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.
