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

2017-18 Heartland AEA Superintendent Directory Available

Click here to download the 2017-18 Heartland AEA Superintendent Directory. A limited supply of these directories were printed and distributed at Tuesday’s HAA meeting. If you weren’t able to attend the meeting and would like a copy, please contact Julie McCarty, Communications Specialist, at jmccarty@heartlandaea.org.

Indicate Your Availability for Jan. 2018 Meeting in This Short Survey

The HAA meeting scheduled for Jan. 2, 2018, has been cancelled as many districts will still be on winter break. Heartland AEA would like to reschedule the meeting until Jan. 9, from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., but want to confirm if there is an interest. Superintendents, please complete this very short survey about your availability on Jan. 9.

Action Required by Sept. 15 to Secure myIGDIs for Your District

Dear Colleagues,

A few weeks ago you received an email from the Iowa Department of Education informing you that they were unable to continue their support for the Individual Growth and Development Indicators (myIGDIs) for literacy screening for preschool learners. The AEA system is interested in helping districts provide consistency with their screening programs for the 2017-18 school year. After consulting with the Iowa Department of Education, the AEA system reached out to myIGDIS and negotiated a one-year Iowa rate for use by districts, their community partners and nonpublic schools in Iowa. The AEA will contribute $2 a child to offset the cost for programs. This means programs will have free access or only pay $1.30 if they choose the iPad license.

Cost
The options listed below are available to programs that have been giving myIGDIS and those that want to begin screening in 2017-18. (Please note, the AEA system is providing this financial support to provide some consistency for districts in the 2017-18 school year. Funding for future school years is not being promised.)

Option	License type	Cost after AEA buy-down	Cost to districts after AEA subsidy
A	*Hard Copy of the Screening Scoring Forms + access to the Online Data System.	$2 per student	$0 per student
B	iPad License for administration and scoring. This includes Progress Monitoring + access to the Online Data System (Need 2 ipads per classroom: teacher & student)	$3.30 per student	$1.30 per student

*This is the same version that programs used with the kits last year. Progress monitoring isn’t available with the paper version.

If a district chooses the Online Data System and iPad license and Progress Monitoring System, the AEA system will pay $2 per student and myIGDIs will contract with the district for the additional $1.30 per student. If a district has already enrolled with myIGDIs, the district will be reimbursed by the AEA system $2 per student.

Online Data System
Under both options the district will have access to the Online Data System. The Online Data System offers the following features:

• Accessible through any device with internet connectivity.
• Create reports for classroom instruction or for communicating progress to parents.
• Analyze assessment data, measure effectiveness of instructional changes, and track performance trends in alignment with long-term outcomes.

Screening Window
The Iowa Department of Education has moved the opening and closing of the fall screening window for preschool only. The screening window will open Sept. 18 and closes Oct. 20. If districts have scoring protocols left from past years they may use them to get started. Once a district records their information on the Google form, they may make copies of protocols or can wait to be shipped protocols by myIGDIs.

Benchmarks for myIGDIs for 2017-18
The benchmarks that were used in 2016-17 for IGDIs in Iowa Tier will be different than the benchmarks set in the myIGDIs online system. The benchmarks set in the Online Data System are set based on national student performance. The purpose of screening is to predict which children may be at risk for early literacy skill development. The benchmarks in myIGDIs set by the researchers at the University of Minnesota are based on 3 Tiered System of data, however the predictive value will remain the same. Districts will have access to the myIGDIs benchmark scores for fall, winter and spring through a downloadable technical manual.

Student Import into Online Data System
Preschool students will not be imported into the myIGDIs online data system through the district Student Information System (SIS). myIGDIs has an import process involving an Excel template. This process and setting up classes will be explained in the training webinars.

Training
Free statewide webinars will be offered to show educators how to use the online data system. These will be scheduled statewide and schools could chose to join at no additional cost. myIGDIS plans to begin offering them the week of Sept. 18, 2017.

District Action to Participate
Interested districts should click on the link and learn more about myIGDIS and sign up if they want to participate. The information that will be requested is the name and email of the early childhood contact and assessment coordinator/contact, name of district, shipping address for paper copies if they are needed, the AEA system your district is located in, the number of preschool students you will screening in 2017-18, and which service you are wanting to use (hard copies and Online Data System or Online Data System and iPad license).

Timeline

Sept. 8-15:

• Interested districts can sign up and indicate if they need paper copies sent from myIGDIS

Week of Sept. 18:

• Classroom teachers need to attend webinar. Upon completion they can they will have access to the online data system and training modules.

Sept. 18:

• Fall screening window opens for preschool

Oct. 20:

• Fall screening window closes for preschool

Questions and Support
If you have specific questions about my myIGDIS and their materials and licenses, contact Jill Freking at (612) 444-3043 or jill@earlylearninglabs.com. If you have questions about anything related to the role of the AEA, contact Kevin Fangman at kfangman@heartlandaea.org.

To access myIGDIs for this academic year, action needs to be taken by districts by Sept. 15.

Friendly Reminders About Your 2017-18 Lau Plan

The Iowa Department of Education is providing the following guidance to districts for 2017-18 Lau Plan:

For the 2017-18 school year and in future years, districts and nonpublic schools must keep an updated, accurate, and compliant Lau Plan on file and available for review upon request by the Department, but are not required to submit the plan to the Department annually via CASA or by any other means.

Updated district Lau Plans need to be completed no later than Sept. 30, 2017. To assist with updating your 2017-18 Lau Plans, districts may refer to the Lau Plan Guidance Document. In addition, the Lau Plan Look-fors specify key considerations for each section of the Lau Plan.

For further questions or assistance, contact your EL/Title III Consultants Stephaney Jones-Vo at sjonesvo@heartlandaea.org or Janet Hiatt at jhiatt@heartlandaea.org.

The Visible Learning Professional Learning/Change Program for Leaders is Coming Soon

Know Thy Impact! This is John Hattie's Golden Rule for Educators. Heartland AEA is excited to bring the Visible Learning Framework to central Iowa. There will be three professional learning days for teacher leaders and administrators to attend together from a district to focus on impact at the system level and how to support teachers. There are also three professional learning days for teachers from the same district to attend that focus in impact at the classroom level. Peter DeWitt will be the facilitator for all six days. Don't miss out on your chance to develop your instructional playbook and Know Thy Impact on the students in your district.

Visible Learning Professional Learning and Change Program for Teacher Leaders and Administrators
Oct. 4 and Nov. 14, 2017 and Jan. 11, 2018Heartland AEA, 511 S. 17th St., Ames, Iowa
Register at this link

Visible Learning Professional Learning and Change Program for Teachers
Oct. 5 and Nov. 15, 2017 and Jan. 12, 2018
Heartland AEA, 511 S. 17th St., Ames, Iowa
Register at this link

Register Your School’s Leadership Team for An MTSS Academy for Middle Schools and High Schools

If you are seeking clarity on how to be more efficient and effective in building a system of supports for your students, this academy is designed for you. Secondary Leadership Teams will explore the five Essential Components of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and examine what implementation looks like in the secondary setting:

• Evidence-Based Curriculum and Instruction provided at the Universal Tier
• Universal Screening Process (Early Warning System)
• Evidenced-based Targeted and Intensive Interventions provided to identified students
• Progress Monitoring Data collected to guide instruction
• Data-Based Decision Making

Teams will focus on developing action plans to fully implement MTSS at the building level. Ongoing supports will be provided.

An Academy for Middle Schools and High Schools: Multi-Tiered System of Supports

Oct. 10 and 19, 2017
Grand View University, 1200 Grandview Ave., Des Moines
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Register at this link

Target Audience
Leadership teams that include an administrator and staff who have content knowledge, who can lead systems work as well as work with other constituents to move the work forward (e.g. building principal, math teacher, language arts teacher, counselor or at risk staff, TLC coach).

For school teams that attend the academy, additional academy courses are offered for team members and/or additional staff from the building to continue to build knowledge and skills. These courses include: Tier 1 Math, Tier 2 & 3 Math, Tier 1 ELA, Tier 2 & 3 ELA, and behavior. Courses are being added for those who support advanced learners, and evidenced based practices. For more information, contact the Heartland AEA Regional Director who serves your district.

Discovery Education Invites you to STEM Leadership Symposium

You’re invited to join Discovery Education and local school district leaders for a free symposium focused on strategies for building and sustaining a culture of STEM teaching and learning. The day will feature a keynote address from Dr. Cindy Moss, Director of Global STEM Initiatives.

Des Moines
Oct. 4
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
*Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

Des Moines Area Community College
Student Union, 1100 7th St., Des Moines, IA 50314
Register at this link
For event questions, contact Lindsay_Pence@discovery.com.

Are You Paying Too Much on Your Student Loans? IS Loan Solutions May Be Able to Help Lower or Eliminate Your Payments

ISLoan Solutions, a student loan advisory firm, presented a voluntary Student Loan Relief benefit last school year that may be able to help any employee with federal student loans, including Parent Plus Loans, reduce their monthly student loan payment and overall obligation. This voluntary benefit educates your employees about their potential for significant savings on student loan debt. The attached document has information that you may share with your staff. For any follow-up, concerns or questions, contact Rachel Jackson, ISLoan Solutions Program Manager, at (513) 645-1192 or Rachel.jackson@isloansolutions.com.

Sept. 2017 Each and Every Child Newsletter

The Sept. 2017 Each and Every Child Newsletter is now available. The world of special education is complex, challenging and, when done well, enormously satisfying for the educator, parent – and, especially, the student. Each and Every Child is a newsletter aimed at this particular audience, designed to inform, educate and challenge those who live and work within this field.