Friday, December 3, 2010

ARRA Funding Provides Opportunities for Special Education Teachers

With funding from America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) we will be providing special education teachers with opportunities to attend professional learning that is targeted specifically at instructional practices known to be effective with students with disabilities. Substitute costs will be reimbursed to allow them to attend. Click here to download a summary of the sessions. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Risen at crisen@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Heartland AEA Early Childhood Professional Development

Here is the latest information related to Professional Development offerings for Early Childhood Professionals through Heartland AEA. If you or your staff are interested in a class, please register through the Heartland Professional Development Catalog.

Early Childhood Administrator Network

This learning opportunity is designed for administrators and principals of early childhood programs (State Voluntary Preschool Programs, Early Childhood Special Education and/or Community based Preschools). Focus topics will include IQPPS and program portfolios, preschool curriculum and assessment, early childhood-focused professional development and current early childhood updates. Participants will have an opportunity to network, get answers to frequently asked questions and develop future topic ideas.


Date & Time: Friday, December 10, 2010 from 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Location: Learning Center at the Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive)
Activity Number: EC008292111201


Direct Instruction Strategies for Early Childhood Students with Autism - Developmental Delays

This course provides best practice knowledge and hands-on practice in the areas of applied behavior analysis and instructional strategies for early childhood students with autism spectrum and related disorders. Participants will learn empirically-based practices and instructional strategies for preventing problem behaviors, increasing independence, motivating students, gaining instructional control, teaching critical communication and language skills, and promoting the generalization and maintenance of skills. Participants will have opportunities to practice the strategies they have learned.


Dates & Times: (Wednesdays) January 5 & 19, February 9 & 23, 2011 all from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location: St. John's Lutheran Church (801 E. 18th Street, Carroll, IA)
Instructors: Alicia Pauley & Margaret Clark

Activity Number: EC008399991101


Q
PPS Study Group – New Offering In Urbandale!

This class will consist of four 4-hour in-depth study sessions on the Quality Preschool Program Standards (QPPS) and Portfolio Development. It will also assist programs in preparation for meeting the DE requirements for QPPS verification visits. Limited space is available – register now!


Dates & Times: (Wednesdays) January 12, February 23, March 30 and April 27 all from 12:00-4:00 p.m.

Location: Urbandale Schools Conference Room (11152 Aurora Ave., Urbandale)

Activity Number: EC005565791101

Superintendents: December HAA Meeting

Download a Word Doc or PDF version of the of the December Heartland Administrators Association meeting agenda. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 7 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center starting at 9:00 a.m.

Last month, David King, Heartland AEA Director of Finance, was invited to attend the HAA meeting to discuss AEA funding. Because time ran short, it was decided to postpone his discussion for the December meeting. In preparation for Tuesday's meeting we encourage you to download two documents that will be the main focus of his presentation. Mr. King will review the documents in full and will address any questions you may have.


• The first document, AEA Funding Chart, is a general explanation of how AEA's are funded and what types of funding resources an AEA has to provide services. This one-page document was created as a simple and quick reference for AEA funding.


• The second document, AEA 11 Flow Through 06-11, is a workbook with two worksheets of data regarding AEA 11's history of flow through funds from fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2011. These documents were developed to explain why all AEA's, and specifically why AEA 11's, total flow through moneys have increased over the last several years at different rates than the basic school foundation aid formula would yield from the allowable growth rate. There are two worksheets in the workbook depicting the same data. The first worksheet reflects dollar amounts and the second reflects the percent change in the dollar amounts over the years. A short explanation for the total flow through increase above allowable growth can be attributed to the legislature not reducing AEA funding as much as it had in FY2005-06 coupled with the addition of teacher salary supplement funding being added to the formula. Both of these increases were from State revenues, not property tax.

I-ELDA trainings for Teachers and Administrators serving ELLs

Districts are encouraged to send representatives to one of the two state I-ELDA trainings scheduled in Denison and in Marshalltown, listed below. These test administration trainings will support the newly- shortened I-ELDA form.

Go to the link below to register for the I-ELDA training in Denison, Iowa on January 11, 2011.

http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp&invite=0gfm52331ec01cwgy8kra214dr03cgystkmgx0p4a15vmb8d4nsd

Go to the link below to register for the I-ELDA training in Marshalltown, Iowa on January 18, 2011.

http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvphttp://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp Questions can be directed to John Scott at john.scott@iowa.gov or (515) 281-3805.

Doing What Works Implementation Awards Request for Proposals

Doing What Works (DWW), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, is seeking proposals for Implementation Awards designed to strengthen implementation of research-based practices through DWW. Awards will be used to integrate DWW resources into professional learning or school improvement support processes that support integration of evidence-based education resources into their daily work.

Access the RFP and download the required forms from the awards webpage at www.wested.org/dww. Proposals are due December 17, 2010. For additional information, email dww@wested.org or call Kacey O’Kelly at (415) 615-3111.

Eligible: States, districts, intermediate service organizations, networks of schools or institutions of higher education with established capacity to deliver professional development, inquiry groups or other improvement processes that could incorporate DWW resources.

Timeline: Awards will be announced by January 14, 2011. Projects to be completed and reported by August 2011.


Award Size: $15,000 to $75,000


Awards Granted: Approximately 15


DWW is an online library of media, tools, and other resources to help educators learn about and implement recommendations from practice guides published by the Institute of Education Sciences.

Tips & Trends of the Heartland AEA Print & Production Services

Click here for a flyer that details the many different Print & Production services we provide. See what fun ideas your teachers could use to brighten the classroom or encourage students to do their best! During Winter Break, we will have limited Print & Production staff on hand. Please inform your staff to keep this fact in mind when submitting their Print & Production requests. If possible, school staff should send in job requests by the second week of December to ensure orders will be completed by the time school is back in session.