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

Superintendents, Take This Short Survey! Indicate Your Availability for Jan. 2018 Meeting

The Heartland Administrators’ Association (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.

Let’s Fix DACA for Iowa’s Sake

Jon Sheldahl
Heartland AEA Chief Administrator

Early last week, our President rescinded a previous executive order establishing the Differed Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. As the chief administrator of Heartland AEA, I am particularly concerned about the potential impact of this decision and will be advocating for Iowa’s congressional delegation to work rapidly for a legislative solution to the matter, one that will secure the rights of so called “dreamers.” Dreamers is the common term for those U.S. residents who have registered under the DACA program and who entered the country as children brought by undocumented parents. Over 700,000 U.S. residents have registered under DACA, and many are students in the classrooms we serve. All are on record as being committed to the idea of becoming American citizens and meeting the responsibilities associated with that citizenship.

At Heartland AEA, our mission statement begins, “To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children….” and we believe all means all. That moral imperative is the foundation on which we build and deliver every service we provide. The entire Iowa AEA system was developed to provide an equity of service to all the children of Iowa regardless of zip code, socio-economic status, ethnicity, or resident status. Equity of service means equity of opportunity and we strive to provide the best possible opportunities to every student in Iowa. Rescinding DACA jeopardizes our ability to maximize that opportunity.

We know that children learn when their physical or emotional needs are being met and the current level of uncertainty revolving around DACA is threatening the emotional security of those students who are either registered under DACA or who have parents who are registered. For that reason, the Heartland Board of Directors and I are encouraging educators and supporters of public education to advocate for a quick, legislative solution to this issue. I will be contacting my elected representatives and am encouraging every educator and school advocate to do the same. Failing to resolve this issue puts us at risk of not only dividing families at a terrible emotional cost, but of wasting a valuable resource vital to the future of Iowa.

Below, you will find contact links for all of our federal delegation. I hope you will take the time to advocate for these children and families.

Jon Sheldahl
Chief Administrator
Heartland AEA

House of Representatives

United States Senate

Schedule Announced for 2017-18 Statewide Social Studies Professional Development

Each of Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEA) and the Iowa Department of Education will be delivering statewide professional development on Iowa’s new social studies standards. The sessions will also build upon the Building Literacy in Social Studies workshops offered in the past.

In this two-day workshop, participants will learn about the vision behind Iowa’s new social studies standards as well as the organization, content and rigor expected by the standards. The workshop will focus on planning for an inquiry-based classroom and is organized around the stages of planning for inquiry, including:

• Exploring standards
• Developing questions
• Gathering sources
• Communicating conclusions

Participants will have time to begin initial conversations about what year one of the three-year implementation of the standards should look like in their districts and classrooms. To learn more and register for a workshop, click on this link for a document of the workshop schedule.

New Professional Learning Opportunity Offers Additional Preparation for In-service Teachers of English Learners

The University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center and Heartland AEA have developed a professional learning opportunity in response to a growing need by in-service teachers and teacher leaders to receive additional preparation in serving an increasing English Learner (EL) population. The In-service Educator of ELs Certificate Program is open to 40 interested public or non-public in-service educators (non-ESOL endorsed and might not prefer the full ESL endorsement) who are currently serving ELs while potentially feeling underprepared to meet the linguistic, cultural and academic needs of their students.

The program includes face-to-face sessions and follow-up field experiences. The first session begins on Oct. 5, 2017 and the program ends with a culminating event/celebration on May 5, 2018. Participants successfully completing the program will receive the following benefits/incentives:

• Five licensure renewal credits
• A credential verifying enhanced in-service educator of ELs expertise
• Reimbursement of all registration fees ($625), plus
• An honorarium of $500

For more detailed information, see the following flyer. For detailed program information and to register online, visit The University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center.

In addition, please note that this program is a refinement of one previously advertised in the spring of 2017 to better the needs of an in-service educator audience and is open to both public and non-public in-service educators.

Heartland AEA to Again Offer Popular Course, “Improving Literacy Instruction for Students on Alternate Assessment”

This course will focus on emergent literacy skills for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The concepts and strategies apply to any student with significant disabilities (level 3) with emerging literacy skills (non-readers) K-12.

Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Jan. 25 and Feb. 26, 2018
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Register at this link

Energy Educational Grants Available From Halvorson Trane - Apply by Oct. 6

Halvorson Trane, one of Iowa’s longest-established HVAC companies, is offering five, $500 grants to K-12 Iowa schools within the service areas of Heartland AEA, Grant Wood AEA and Central Rivers AEA. Grant monies are to be used to fund an energy education project on school grounds (projects can be inside or out). See the Halvorson Trane website for more information about the grants and view last year’s winners. Apply by Oct. 6, 2017.