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

COVID-19 Tracker Template Now Available for Districts

Heartland Covid Tracker Template - This template is now available for districts to use if they would like an instrument to help them track their Covid numbers. Click on the link, and you’ll be asked to make a copy. This is the version you’ll name and save to your desktop so you can personalize for your district. The template also comes with a quick tutorial.

ACTION REQUESTED: Pear Deck is Ready! Let’s Get Your Teachers and Students Signed Up!

All Iowa districts now have premium access to Pear Deck! The technology contact from each district is asked to connect with Pear Deck and provide teacher email addresses to start the sign-up process. Please reference this information to complete the process and learn more about Pear Deck professional learning opportunities for teachers, trainers and/or coaches.

Transportation Approval Process Delayed for 2020-21

Chapter 285.9(3) of the Iowa Code requires the Area Education Agency Board of Directors to approve all bus routes outside the boundaries of the school district operating the buses. This process has typically been done every spring. Since districts closed early this year due to the pandemic and the Governor’s emergency proclamation, the transportation approval process has been postponed until Spring 2021. Agreements currently on file will remain in effect until the next approval cycle. 

If a district knows of a change they’d like to go ahead and implement for this year, or is unsure of the agreements they currently have in place, please contact Jenny Ugolini, Heartland AEA Board Secretary at jugolini@heartlandaea.org.

New EL SMORE Newsletter is Published!

Welcome to a new school year and the EL SMORE newsletter. The newsletter will address topics related to teaching and learning with students learning English. Our purpose is to share an EL newsletter every two months. The topic of our current newsletter is Equity and Language. Please follow the newsletter and share with your colleagues!

Alternate Assessment Updates for 2020-21

For Teachers: If you are teaching students who are on the alternate assessment, you must complete student profiles and certification training. This document contains the deadlines, new information and links to the state commencement letter, training sites, office hours and other resources.

For Administrators: All teachers who have students on the alternate assessment must be certified as strategist II ID and complete certification training. Administrators are responsible for creating teacher accounts for the ELAA system, as well as creating rosters for DLM. This document contains deadlines, new information, and links to the state commencement letter, training sites, office hours and other resources.