Important Changes Coming in 2020-21 with AEA Learning Online Fee

As you may know, AEA Learning Online has an annual opt-in fee for districts to help support many programs and services they provide. This fee is reviewed annually and is based on the operational expenses for the programs and services they offer. For years, AEA Learning Online has been able to maintain the same low cost for districts, in large part through revenue from required Mandatory Reporter trainings. By charging individual employees for completing this required training, AEA Learning Online was able to lower costs to districts.

In the summer of 2019, legislation was passed requiring the use of one Mandatory Reporter curriculum from the Iowa Department of Human Services. While this has the advantage of lowering the cost for educators to renew their own licenses, it also meant AEA Learning Online would not be able to rely on that revenue to lower costs for districts. As a result, the opt-in fee will be going to $1 per enrolled student in the 2020-21 school year.

Heartland AEA has always paid the opt in fee for districts in our area. For 2020-2021, the agency will continue our current funding level of support for our districts of .$50 per enrolled student, and the remaining $.50 will be invoiced to districts by AEA Learning Online.

Starting July 1, 2020, AEA Learning Online is pleased to offer Mandatory Reporter trainings for Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse at no cost for district employees in the AEA Learning Online Training System. Teachers will no longer need to go to the DHS site to complete their training, meaning: 1) they will now have the active phone and help-ticket support that the AEAs provide, and 2) districts will have access to their records of completion.

For questions about the changes for the upcoming school year, please contact Evan Abbey.