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
This year Iowa’s AEAs again will be subsidizing the costs for schools to upgrade their DE-provided FAST subscriptions that includes the expanded assessment suite in math and behavior for K-6, and literacy, math and behavior for grades 7 & 8. Participation is available both to schools that purchased the expanded assessment suite in previous years and those that want to use it for the first time in 2020-21.
Subscriptions are based on a per student annual cost, and your AEA and the statewide AEA system have committed to covering 50 percent of the cost for each K-8 student in Iowa. The deadline to register is May 16. If you have any questions, email Kevin Fangman, Heartland AEA Chief Academic Officer.
The Heartland AEA Library & Digital Resources newsletter is now available. Make sure to follow the newsletter and share it with your colleagues! In this issue…
- High Interest Reading at Home or School with Ebooks
- You asked for it! New ebooks
- Action: IASL Award Book Delivery
- Interactives and Simulations
- Instructional Technology Supports
The AEA Special Education Directors have created a brief document that highlights some parameters for closing up paperwork for this school year. In summary it encourages teams to complete IEP meetings and evaluations following the AEA Special Education Procedures and the AEA parameters, as well as an update on ESYS and graduation. This new parameters document expands on the DE's special education Q&A document that was distributed on April 30.
In an effort to support the well-being of districts, educators, students and families, Heartland AEA is pleased to bring you, "Wellness Weekly," a weekly series dedicated to all things wellness and well-being.
Check out the Wellness Weekly site every week for well-being resources, tips and fun and share with colleagues and families!
This week features:
- Being Our Best Self During Challenging Times
- How to Manage Anxiety During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- May is Mental Health Month
- How to Stay Sane When Working From Home
- Free Yale Course: The Science of Well-being
- What's Really Going on in Zoomland
In this issue: COVID-19 Update, Conditional Licensure, Hiring Checklists, Licensure Renewal Tips, Coaching, Troops to Teachers, NASDTEC Clearinghouse, Ethics and Recent Cases.
The May 2020 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
