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
Heartland AEA is beginning year three of the online Request for Transportation Approval process.
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 has been interpreted to mean regular routes and regular special education routes, not bussing for field trips or activity trips. The Code requires you to request permission from neighboring district(s) before any bus routes cross district boundaries.
Refer to this document to see if your district has completed Steps I - II.
Please review the instructions and timelines to complete the process for 2017-18, including the video tutorials. Districts are asked to begin the multi-step process this month. For more information, contact Jenny Ugolini at jugolini@heartlandaea.org or (515) 270-0405 ext. 14441.
As an educational leader, are you faced with increasingly complex challenges to tackle? Do you try to tackle them alone? Would you be interested in being part of a group that identifies, examines and addresses real problems of practice leaders face? Explore and develop systems leadership? Have access to Drake University? Then...
Become a part of the Drake Continual Improvement Network. The vision is to transform education in Iowa in order to restore joy in learning, teaching and leading in Iowa’s schools. The network provides opportunities to learn and work together to solve real problems of practice through the process of systemic continual improvement.
Interested? Read more here or contact Dr. Doug Stilwell, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, Drake University at doug.stilwell@drake.edu or (515) 271-1993.
The TLC Administrator Support Program is a comprehensive, year-long professional development program focused on building your capacity as the principal to develop and facilitate distributed leadership in your school, namely by supporting and leveraging teacher leaders as part of your leadership team.
The program includes a three-day summer intensive training for principals followed by three half-day workshops during the school year for principals and their team, and 36 hours of one-on-one school-based coaching.
The TLC Administrative Support Program for 2017-18 will have a registration fee, however the school district may use their TLC funds to pay for the registration fee of their participating principal(s). This program is a collaborative effort among Iowa’s AEAs, Iowa Department of Education, School Administrators of Iowa, and the New York City Leadership Academy.
100% satisfaction rating from current participants!
For more information, contact Lora Rasey at the Iowa Department of Education at (515) 281-6719 or lora.rasey@iowa.gov.
Iowa’s high school graduation rate has increased for the fifth year in a row while dropout rates edged up for the first time since the 2009-10 school year, according to figures released by the Iowa Department of Education. State data show 91.3 percent of students in Iowa’s Class of 2016 graduated within four years, up from 90.8 percent for the Class of 2015. Iowa’s annual dropout rate was 2.8 percent in the 2015-16 school year, up from 2.5 percent in the 2014-15 school year. The state’s 2015-16 dropout rate represents 4,154 students in grades 9-12. For more information on Iowa’s graduation rates and dropout rates, including rates by school district and by student subgroup, visit the Graduation Rates and Dropout Rates webpage on the Iowa Department of Education’s website.
Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced he’s seeking public input on fine arts standards that are under consideration in Iowa. Wise announced public forums throughout the state, as well as an online survey that’s open through May 12, following a state team’s recommendation to get feedback on the National Core Arts Standards. These standards were developed by the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards, an alliance of national arts and arts education groups. Iowans can access the online survey regarding the National Core Arts Standards at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZF7BCQY. Visit the Fine Arts Standards Adoption Team webpage on the Iowa Department of Education's website for more information.
Public Forums on April 25 and 27
Public forums will be held at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, on April 25 and April 27 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
To view all public forum sites and details, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.
