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

McREL Iowa Leadership Academy: A great opportunity for your team!

School leaders, it's been 10 years since McREL Balanced Leadership training has been widely available in Iowa. Grab your team and get registered for the Iowa School Leadership Academy! Seats are limited and the first 200 receive a discount!

The Iowa School Leadership Academy will give school leadership teams in-depth strategies and guidance from McREL’s research- and evidence-based knowledge sets of Balanced Leadership, What Matters Most, and Curiosity Works.

School districts are encouraged to consider bringing a team(s) of 3-6 leaders who can learn and work collaboratively around the presented course content and be willing to engage in this work within their respective districts. The cost is $400 per person. The first 200 members of SAI who register will receive a $50 discount on registration. This course meets the requirements for Evaluator Approval II. Please be sure to sign up for this certification during the registration process.

View the Iowa AEA website for session dates and locations, learning content and links to registration. Three locations! Ankeny, Cedar Falls and Fort Dodge

March 5 HAA Meeting Reminder

The Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) will meet on March 5 at DMACC in Ankeny.

The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. with guest speaker Trevor Ragan, who will present Teaching a Growth Mindset to Achieve Success for All Learners. Trevor’s time is spent writing and producing content for trainugly.com and doing workshops with groups from all over the world. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, MLB teams, Olympic teams, hundreds of schools, and even in a few prisons. Trevor values learning and seeks out the scientists and thought leaders in the world of development, consumes their research and discoveries, connects the dots, and shares it with anyone that will listen.

This is a full day event open to superintendents and other educators. Registration is still open: https://goo.gl/8KjYZ4

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Lunch included
Ankeny DMACC Campus
Student Center, Building 5
2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny

David Ludwig Named Executive Director for Iowa’s AEAs

Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEA) have selected David Ludwig to be the system’s next Executive Director. Ludwig has over 30 years of experience as a school administrator in Nebraska, with the past five years serving as the State Executive Director for the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council (ESUCC) of Nebraska.

On Friday, the AEA Executive Board approved a two-year contract with Ludwig with a start date of July 1. He will be based out of the Heartland AEA office in Johnston.

In his new role with Iowa’s AEAs, Ludwig will facilitate and coordinate Iowa's nine Area Education Agencies in working collaboratively to support and provide services to the children, families and educators served by all of Iowa’s 333 public schools, and 182 accredited, nonpublic Iowa schools. The AEA system also provides direct services to nearly 56,000 students who receive special education services.

"We are extremely proud to offer the position to someone with the leadership and experiences that Mr. Ludwig has,” said Jim Green, president of the IAAEA Executive Board. “David’s experience with rural and urban districts, legislative advocacy, along with his leadership at local and state levels, are a perfect fit for the AEA system."

Ludwig began his education career as a special education teacher and coach, and has also been a special education director, principal and ESU Administrator. A graduate of Midland College with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education, Elementary Education, and Physical Education, Ludwig earned a master’s in school administration and education specialist degree from Wayne State College. He is currently working on a doctorate in education at the University of Nebraska in Omaha and is expected to complete that work in May 2021.

"I’m excited to begin the next phase of my professional career with an organization known nationally for its focus on student learning and outcomes, quality people and programs, and attention to providing equitable services to all Iowa children, families, and educators,” Ludwig said.

Dr. Tom Lane, who has served Iowa’s AEAs since 2013, will retire on June 30.

Iowa’s Area Education Agencies provide services in special education, professional development, technology, media, and instructional resources to every Iowa public school district, and accredited nonpublic school. The Iowa Legislature formed AEAs in 1975 to provide equity and efficiency of educational services for children from birth to 21 years of age, families, educators, and school administrators.

Iowa AEA Legislative Update Feb. 8, 2019

Iowa’s AEA Legislative Update is now available. Topics include SSA, Transportation, Special Education, Online Learning and SAVE.

Save the Date: Our Kids Summer Institute is Coming to Ankeny on June 18-19

15th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute
For ALL educators who support English Learner students

June 18-19, 2019
FFA Enrichment Center
1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy., Ankeny, IA

PK-12 educators will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English Language Learners (EL) in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement.

Conference topics include:

• Unlocking ELs potential to enhance academic success
• Preventing long-term English Learners
• Supporting strategies for English Learners in core content learning
• Approaches to address English Learner students at the Pre-K Level
• Distinguishing typical language development from special education needs
• Enhancing EL success using data through the MTSS/PLC process

Plan to bring a team! We hope to see you there! Registration information will be communicated in March. For more information, contact Pam McDonnell at pam.mcdonnell@iowa.gov.

Expect to Go Absolutely ALL IN on Learning During Trevor Ragan’s Upcoming Workshop on Growth Mindset

A national leader in growth mindset, Trevor Ragan will lay out the science, unpack the nuts and bolts, and (most importantly) show you how to run with it all in the area of growth mindset. Trevor will help you explore learning, motor learning, feedback, growth mindset culture, jungle tigers, failure and more!

Trevor values learning and seeks out the scientists and thought leaders in the world of development, consumes their research and discoveries, connects the dots, and shares it with anyone who will listen. This workshop is for all educators! If you’re not familiar with Trevor’s approach to mindset, check out his video.

Teaching a Growth Mindset to Achieve Success for All Learners

March 5, 2019

DMACC, Student Center, Bldg. 5, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Register by Feb. 18, 2019 at this link: http://bit.ly/2Tmfoag

Target Audience: All Educators

Kevin Honeycutt is Coming Back to Des Moines! Helping Educators Recognize Poverty and Developing Strategies To Empower Students to Improve Academic Potential

Kevin Honeycutt grew up in poverty and as he witnessed education around the country, he collected powerful experiences that still influence his conversations and his work with educators. He spent 13 years teaching K-12 art in public school and for 17 years spent summers leading creative adventure camps for kids of all ages. Kevin is the author of the book Midnight Run, which is his story of growing up in poverty.

Midnight Run with Kevin Honeycutt
April 2, 2019
Heartland AEA, Johnston Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston

Registration
Morning Session (For Superintendents Only)
Register at this link: https://goo.gl/eJAnmT

Afternoon Session (For All Educators)
Register at this link: https://goo.gl/9C5ekj

Proposing Rule Making Related to Corporal Punishment and Providing an Opportunity for Public Comment

The Iowa Department of Education is currently proposing changes to Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 103. Chapter 103 pertains to “Corporal Punishment, Physical Restraint, Seclusion, and other Physical Contact with Students”. This rule impacts all students; both students with and without disabilities. These proposed rule changes could have significant impact on school’s practices with challenging, dangerous and disruptive students. You are encouraged to review the proposed rule changes and make your interests known.

Any interested person may submit written or oral comments concerning this proposed rule-making.

Written or oral comments in response to this rule making must be received by the Department no later than 4:30 p.m. on March 5, 2019. Comments should be directed to:

Nicole Proesch
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building, Second Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0416
(515) 281-8661
nicole.proesch@iowa.gov

A public hearing at which persons may present their views orally or in writing will be held as follows:

March 5, 2019
9:00-10:00 a.m.
State Board Room, Second Floor
Grimes State Office Building
East 14th Street and Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa