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 include 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, contact Kevin Fangman, Chief Academic Officer.
FAST Registration for the 2020-21 School Year
With the announcement from the governor that schools will remain closed for the remainder of the academic school year, we have been receiving questions and several requests from schools to pick up library items. To better understand the situation, we conducted a survey of teachers who have materials checked out to see if they are ready for return. Some schools are not accessible right now or teachers haven't had an opportunity to gather materials from students. Rest assured that materials may remain in the school building and Heartland AEA vans will pick up materials later in the year. If you have any questions, contact Susan Schrader, Director of Resources and Library Services.
In an effort to diminish or limit the spread of COVID-19, all classes and workshops that have been scheduled to be held before Aug. 15 at a Heartland AEA office will be offered remotely, postponed or canceled.
Instructors of Heartland Courses:
Please let the Professional Learning Team at profdev@heartlandaea.org know how you will proceed with your learnings so we know how to best support you.
The Heartland AEA Instructional Technology Consultants are excited to add mini-webinars to their wide array of district supports. New topics, courses and sections continue to be added to the offerings to meet the needs of educators. Contact your consultant for more information. Check out the team’s newsletter, subscribe and share it with your colleagues!
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:
- May 2020 is Mental Health Awareness Month
- Coping with Corona
- 11 Best Zoom Tricks You'll Wish You Knew Sooner
- Down Dog Fitness App
- Ok, so who's going to tell her?
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has provided guidance for imagining a new normal for public education, public health and our economy in the age of COVID-19. A Plan to Safely Reopen America's Schools and Communities
The New Teacher Project (TNTP) created the following guidance to help school and district stakeholders in planning for reopening. Restarting School: Planning for Acceleration in the 2020-2021 School Year
The Iowa Communications Network is accepting applications for the next school year for its Student Youth Broadband Advisory Council. The statewide council is a unique opportunity for motivated high school students to research and discuss broadband and Internet topics, learn about Iowa technology companies, and discover technology careers. Students entering 10 - 12 grades may apply at https://icn.iowa.gov/sybac. This is a great experience for students and their input is highly valued, plus it’s a nice addition on a resume.
- Monthly meetings by video conference
- Council runs Sept. 2020 through April 2021
- Applications accepted until June 12
Contact Lori Larsen at lori.larsen@iowa.gov for questions about the council.
The Iowa Department of Education is providing new guidance regarding the distribution process of emergency relief funding in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund within the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.
