Happy Holidays from Heartland AEA!

 

Your 2026–27 District Service Plan: What’s Coming, Key Dates & Discount Opportunities

By December 23, 2025, superintendents will receive the slideshow that will be used for your district’s annual District Service Plan Meeting. The slideshow will include district-specific usage data to support planning for this conversation.

The request form for 2026–27 opens on Jan. 2, 2026. Districts wishing to request a specific provider are encouraged to submit requests as early as possible, as requests will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis.

Districts that purchase at least a 0.2 contract of a Professional Service Provider (39 days or more) and submit their request by Feb. 2, 2026, will receive special discounts: 10% off for purchasing 0.2 or more of a contract, plus an additional 5% for requests submitted by Feb. 2, 2026. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your Account Manager:

• Crista Carlile - Service Area 1 plus Des Moines, Urbandale and Waukee
• Amy Wichman - Service Area 2 plus Ankeny, Johnston, SE Polk and West Des Moines
• Susie Meade - Service Area 3

Legislative Panel to Highlight Jan. 6 HAA Meeting

Reminder for the Jan. 6, 2026 HAA Meeting

Jan. 6, 2026
In-person
9-11:30 a.m.
Heartland AEA
Johnston Regional Education Center
6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston

The agenda will feature a legislative panel, a proposal from the Iowa Department of Education regarding IDEA-DA and Federal IDEA Part B designations and updates from our educational partners.

Jan. 2026 HAA Agenda

Browse Winter-Themed Creative Services & Save 10% on Print Orders

Browse our creative services collection of ready-to-order winter-themed items on Creative Services Online.

Featured products:

• Wind chill poster
• Blank or personalized winter folded cards
• Reading is cool banner
• Chill out and read bookmark
• Winter encouragement stickers
• Winter themed posters

Save 10% on new print orders!

Now through the end of the year, stock up and save on your print orders! We're offering 10% off your entire Creative Services printing orders through Dec. 31, 2025.

Enter the promo code WINTER10 on the payment screen and click Apply before paying for your order. The discount will appear in green once applied.

Offer available until Dec. 31, 2025. Offer only available on new orders. Offer not available for Braille or custom graphic design orders.

Note that Heartland AEA offices will be closed Dec. 24, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026. Note that Print Shop staff will be unavailable on Jan. 2.

Reminder: Additional DCAP Support Opportunities

Virtual Support — Jan. 27, 2026
Need help as you finalize your DCAP plan? Join one of our come-and-go Zoom support sessions on Jan. 27. Drop in anytime between 9:00–11:00 a.m. or 1:00–3:00 p.m. to ask questions and get guidance.

 

Register here

In-Person Workshop — Feb. 12, 2026
Join us at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny for a DCAP workshop focused on collaboration and best practices. The day will include dedicated team planning time and district showcases to highlight key takeaways.

Register here

Important DCAP Dates

• Submission Deadline: April 3, 2026: Mark your calendar to ensure timely submission.
• Review Day: April 21, 2026: The DCAP review will be held at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. Each district must send at least one representative. Additional details about reviewers will be shared soon. If you have any questions or need additional support, email rpp11@ghaea.org.

Bring Your Priorities: Making the Most of Your District Service Plan Meeting

As you prepare for your upcoming District Service Plan meeting with Heartland AEA, we encourage you to reflect on your school improvement goals and the initiatives you hope to strengthen in the coming year.

This meeting is a chance for us to dig in together—reviewing progress, identifying challenges and exploring where additional support could enhance implementation. It’s also an ideal time to consider roles your district may benefit from, but not necessarily in a full-time capacity, such as:

• Special education director
• Curriculum director
• Instructional coach
• Content-specific expert

We can discuss how shared or partially supported staffing options might elevate your work.

In addition, please think about how our Media & Technology Services can support your curriculum, classroom instruction and both current and future technology needs.

Arriving with these priorities in mind will help us co-create a service plan that is responsive, aligned and fully supportive of your district’s goals.

We’re proud to offer high-quality services at competitive prices. And remember—districts that sign up for professional services with our Professional Service Providers by Feb. 2, 2026, will receive a 5% discount.

We look forward to partnering with you in 2026!