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

The Last Heartland AEA Curriculum Network meeting of the School Year is May 3

The final Heartland AEA Curriculum Network meeting of the school year will be held on May 3. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude by 11:30 a.m. The Iowa Department of Education (DE) will share information on the Iowa School Performance Profile and the Iowa School Report Card. The DE hopes to give districts embargoed access to this information soon. If you attend remotely, Zoom links for both sections of the meeting are embedded in the agenda.

HAA and SAC May 7 Meeting Reminders

Superintendents' Advisory Council (SAC)
The Superintendents' Advisory Council will meet prior to the HAA meeting, from 8:00 -8:45 a.m. at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, Conference Room 109. An agenda will be emailed to council members soon.

Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA)
The HAA meeting will be held from 9:00 -11:30 a.m. at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive, in Conference Rooms 107A/B. This is the final spring meeting. 
May 7 HAA Meeting Agenda

Iowa AEA Legislative Update - April 19

The April 19, 2019 Iowa AEA Legislative Update is now available.

Registration is Open for the 15th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute for ALL Educators Who Support English Learner Students

June 18 - 19, 2019
FFA Enrichment Center
1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA

Registration for the Our Kids Summer Institute is now open! You can use the following registration link: Our Kids Summer Institute 2019 (Course #: 180032) to get yourself and your team registered to attend our June learning together. We are also excited to offer each registered participant a book from our keynote speaker Diane Staehr Fenner titled, Advocating for English Learners: A Guide for Educators.

Our keynote presentation and breakout session topics are full of information for classroom teachers, EL teachers, administrators, instructional coaches and PK instructors. Your district team will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English Language Learners (EL) in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement. Find more information on topic of learning and our keynote presenters at this link: 15th Annual Our Kids Conference Presenters and Topics!

We look forward to seeing you and your team in June!

Catch Our Final “Framework Friday” Standards-Based Learning Session on May 3

Our final EdCamp-style workshop of the school year will be held on May 3, 2019. This event provides additional learning, collaboration and conversation for those interested in Standards-Based Learning (SBL) Including Grading and Reporting. The workshop coincides with specific strands of the Standards-Based Learning Framework developed by Heartland AEA. Come learn with us!

Standards-Based Learning Framework Friday
Final session of this school year: May 3, 2019
12:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Visit our website to register

Are You Ready for Something New in Tech Integration? Announcing Heart of Innovation Summer Summit!

Register today! The Heart of Innovation Summer Summit on June 13 is a kick off to year-long blended learning opportunities as you pursue innovation in your classroom with support from Heartland AEA. Enjoy a day full of networking and learning alongside your education peers, featuring Jennifer Williams, Ed.D., and presentations from leaders in education!

Conference tracks include:

• Promoting Creativity in Every Classroom
• Communicating Student Learning and Guided Informed Action
• Building a Collaborative Learning Environment for All
• Fostering Curiosity to Empower Critical Thinking

Heart of Innovation Summer Summit

June 13, 2019

8 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston

This is a NO COST event for Iowa K-12 educators and administrators! Learn more and register at bit.ly/HeartofInnovation.

Call for Presenters is Open Until May 15 - Join the faculty!
Educators love to learn from their peers! Have you done something you'd like to share? At our Heart of Innovation Summer Summit, we are looking for presentations that are aligned with our conference tracks. Submit a session proposal by May 15 at this link: http://bit.ly/2JLAyhZ.

Do you need support putting together a proposal for your presentation? Are you unsure how to turn your classroom experience into a session? Let us know! We would love to support you. Email us at haeatech@heartlandaea.org or contact your Heartland AEA Instructional Technology Consultant.

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

FASTBridge Registration for 2019-20 Now Includes Option for Grades 7 and 8

This year Iowa’s AEAs again will be subsidizing the costs for schools to upgrade their DE-provided FAST subscriptions to include math and behavior assessments for the 2019-20 school year, and are expanding the potential grades available for schools. This year schools will have the option to use the expanded assessment suite in math and behavior for K-6, and will have the additional option to include grades 7 and 8. This option is available both to schools that purchased the expanded assessment suite in 2018-19 and those that want to use for the first time in 2019-20. Please refer to this FASTBridge program document for more information about pricing, registration, billing, training and ordering materials.

April 12 Iowa AEA Legislative Update

The April 12, 2019 Iowa AEA Legislative Update is now available.

Registration is Open for the 15th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute for ALL Educators Who Support English Learner Students

June 18 - 19, 2019
FFA Enrichment Center
1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA

Registration for the Our Kids Summer Institute is now open! You can use the following registration link: Our Kids Summer Institute 2019 (Course #: 180032) to get yourself and your team registered to attend our June learning together. We are also excited to offer each registered participant a book from our keynote speaker Diane Staehr Fenner titled, Advocating for English Learners: A Guide for Educators.

Our keynote presentation and breakout session topics are full of information for classroom teachers, EL teachers, administrators, instructional coaches and PK instructors. Your district team will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English Language Learners (EL) in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement. Find more information on topic of learning and our keynote presenters at this link: 15th Annual Our Kids Conference Presenters and Topics!

We look forward to seeing you and your team in June!

Applications Now Accepted for Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund

The Department of Education is once again accepting applications for funding that Iowa schools and districts can use to build the computer science teacher workforce. The deadline for applications is May 20.

The incentive fund was created through 2017 legislation that encourages computer science in every school in Iowa. The fund is pending an appropriation from the Legislature.

The Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund will provide school districts, nonpublic schools and collaboratives of school systems to pay for professional learning or university coursework to build the capacity of educators to deliver high-quality computer science instruction at each grade level.

Applications for funding must demonstrate how schools will expand high-quality computer science instruction based on new computer science standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

Information about the Incentive Fund including application guidance and the scoring rubric is available on the Department of Education Computer Science web page. For additional information on the incentive fund, please contact Wren Hoffman, Program Consultant, Computer Science, Iowa Department of Education, at (515) 981-3306 or wren.hoffman@iowa.gov.

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

There's Still Time to Sign Up Your Team for the McREL Leadership Academy in Ankeny or Fort Dodge!

School leaders, it's been 10 years since McREL Balanced Leadership training has been widely available in Iowa. Organize your leadership team and register for the last remaining seats in the Iowa School Leadership Academy!

The Academy will give school leadership teams in-depth strategies and guidance from McREL’s research- and evidence-based knowledge sets of Balanced Leadership, What Matters Most, and Curiosity Works.

Consider bringing a team(s) of 3-6 leaders who can learn and work collaboratively around the presented course content and be willing to engage in this work within their respective districts. The cost is $400 per person. This course meets the requirements for Evaluator Approval II. Make sure to sign up for this certification during the registration process.

View Iowa's AEAs website for session dates and locations, learning content and links to registration.

Still wondering about the academy?
Read about the positive impact of Balanced Leadership in this success story from the Sioux City CSD.

Listen Up! Continue Your Personal Leadership Development with These Podcasts for Education Administrators

The Heartland AEA Leadership Series for this school year has come to an end and we hope that it has been informational and useful for the work that’s going on in your districts. How are you continuing your leadership learning? Maybe you struggle to find time to sit, read and learn. However, you might have “windshield time.” Here is a list of 30+ podcasts for school administrators that may be of interest to you. 

Thank you to Dan Mart, Superintendent from North Polk, who fostered this idea of ongoing learning, and our Director of Resources and Library Services Susan Schrader for curating the list!

It’s Time to Register for the 15th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute for ALL Educators Who Support English Learner Students

June 18 - 19, 2019

FFA Enrichment Center
1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA

Registration for the Our Kids Summer Institute is now open! You can use the following registration link: Our Kids Summer Institute 2019 (Course #: 180032) to get yourself and your team registered to attend our June learning together. We are also excited to offer each registered participant a book from our keynote speaker Diane Staehr Fenner titled, Advocating for English Learners: A Guide for Educators.

Our keynote presentation and breakout session topics are full of information for classroom teachers, EL teachers, administrators, instructional coaches and PK instructors. Your district team will have the opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English Language Learners (EL) in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement. Find more information on topic of learning and our keynote presenters at this link: 15th Annual Our Kids Conference Presenters and Topics!

We look forward to seeing you and your team in June!

Catch Our Final “Framework Friday” Standards-Based Learning Session on May 3

EdCamp-style workshops will be held throughout the 2018-19 school year to provide additional learning, collaboration and conversation for those interested in Standards-Based Learning (SBL) Including Grading and Reporting. The workshops coincide with specific strands of the Standards-Based Learning Framework developed by Heartland AEA. You can attend whatever sessions are of interest to you--you don’t need to attend all nine. Come learn with us!

Standards-Based Learning Framework Fridays
Final session of this school year: May 3, 2019
12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Visit our website to register

Call for Presenters is Open for the Heart of Innovation Summer Summit - Join the Faculty!

Educators love to learn from their peers! Have you done something you'd like to share? At our Heart of Innovation Summer Summit, we are looking for presentations that are aligned with our innovation tracks:

• Promoting creativity in every classroom
• Communicating student learning and guiding informed action
• Building a collaborative learning environment for all
• Fostering curiosity to empower critical thinking

Submit a session proposal at this link: http://bit.ly/2JLAyhZ. Proposals will be accepted through May 15.

Do you need support putting together a proposal for your presentation? Are you unsure how to turn your classroom experience into a session? Let us know! We would love to support you. Email us at haeatech@heartlandaea.org or contact your Heartland AEA Instructional Technology Consultant.

Heart of Innovation Summer Summit

June 13, 2019

8 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston

This is a NO COST event for Iowa K-12 educators and administrators! Learn more and register at bit.ly/HeartofInnovation.

Grant Applications Now Being Accepted for the FY19 COPS School Violence Prevention Program

The School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a competitive award program designed to provide funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. The SVPP is open to all states, units of local government and Indian tribes.

SVPP funding will provide up to 75% funding for the following school safety measures in and around K-12 (primary and secondary) schools and school grounds:

• Coordination with law enforcement
• Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and self
• Metal detectors, locks, lighting and other deterrent measures
• Technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency
• Any other measure that The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office determines may provide a significant improvement in security

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an application that demonstrates a comprehensive approach to school safety.

Application deadline is May 31, 2019. More information: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp

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

Upah Selected as Agency’s New Chief Student Services Officer

Heartland AEA is pleased to announce the hiring of Kristi Upah as the Agency’s new Chief Student Services Officer. Upah, a 26-year Heartland AEA staff member, will replace Randy Allison, who has served as the Acting Director of Special Education for the past two years.

As the Chief Student Services Officer, Upah will advocate for an appropriate and effective education for all children and youth while fulfilling the responsibilities of the Heartland AEA Director of Special Education. She will collaborate with all work groups at Heartland AEA and with the families, schools and communities Heartland AEA serves. She will be the Agency’s liaison to the Iowa Department of Education for special education and related services and will represent Heartland AEA in the statewide AEA Special Education Directors’ Network.

Upah has devoted her career to serving students and educators in the Heartland AEA service area. Since 1993, she has served as a school psychologist, Staff Development Specialist for School Psychology, Supervisor of School Psychological Services, Assistant Director of Innovation & Accountability and Regional Director.


As a regional director, Upah has provided coordination and leadership for the provision of AEA services to districts and schools within Boone and Story counties. Other responsibilities during this time have included coordination of special education job-alike groups and providing direct support to job-alike facilitators and lead teams, facilitation and participation in professional development design and delivery workgroups (PBIS, Behavior Capacity Building, Math Capacity Building, Child Find Professional Learning Cadre) and participation in agency special education leadership workgroups.

Upah earned her PK-12 Administrator/Supervisor of Special Education Endorsement from Drake University, a Ph.D. in psychology with a school psychology emphasis from Iowa State University, a specialist degree in school psychology from Iowa State and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Iowa State.

She will begin her new duties on July 1, 2019.

Illustrative Mathematics Summer Learning Opportunity

Illustrative Mathematics (IM) has recently authored curriculum for grades 6 - 8, as well as algebra, geometry, and algebra 2. Please complete the following survey by April 19 to gauge your district's interest in using IM curriculum in the 2019-20 school year. Two teacher trainings are available; one for grades 6 - 8, and one for algebra/geometry/algebra 2. If there is sufficient interest in teacher trainings, Heartland AEA will coordinate the trainings. Additional information about the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum can be found here: https://www.illustrativemathematics.org/curriculum/.

The Results Are In!

Last fall, Hanover Research, a global market research and analytics firm, asked you to provide input on the services of Heartland AEA. The firm recently released results of its independent survey of Iowa’s educators regarding the services of Iowa’s Area Education Agency (AEA) system.

Key findings of the survey revealed that educators are extremely satisfied with AEA services overall in the areas of special education, educational services, instructional services, media and technology. Some services received well over 90 percent customer satisfaction rates, including audiology/hearing, due-process mediation, licensure, audio/video production, and graphic design.

Two areas of growth indicated by the survey were behavioral help services and mental health services, which are growing concerns in schools statewide. AEA personnel, along with Iowa school officials, met with state legislators this legislative session to secure additional funding for these issues, in particular.

Feel free to review the Hanover Research executive summary regarding the survey.

Thank you for providing input on our services! As always, contact any of your building’s AEA representatives if you have questions or need assistance.

FASTBridge Registration for 2019-20 Now Includes Option for Grades 7 and 8

This year Iowa’s AEAs again will be subsidizing the costs for schools to upgrade their DE-provided FAST subscriptions to include math and behavior assessments for the 2019-20 school year, and are expanding the potential grades available for schools. This year schools will have the option to use the expanded assessment suite in math and behavior for K-6, and will have the additional option to include grades 7 and 8. This option is available both to schools that purchased the expanded assessment suite in 2018-19 and those that want to use for the first time in 2019-20. Please refer to this FASTBridge program document for more information about pricing, registration, billing, training and ordering materials.

March 29 Iowa AEA Legislative Update

The March 29, 2019 Iowa AEA Legislative Update is now available.

April 2019 Iowa AEA System Update for Superintendents

The April 2019 AEA System Update for Superintendents includes information about FASTBridge registration and the transfer of Mandatory Reporter Curriculum Responsibilities.

New Statewide AEA Professional Learning Registration System Launching!

Heartland AEA is pleased to introduce the new statewide AEA Professional Learning Registration System to you!

As you’ve heard, this system is a one-stop shop to register for all the professional learning activities available through all nine of Iowa’s AEAs and AEA Learning Online. As Heartland AEA transitions to this new system, we will be running two catalogs for a short time: a Spring Catalog and a Summer Catalog. After summer, all courses will be listed in the AEA Professional Learning Registration System.

• Courses beginning prior to June 1, 2019, are listed in our Spring Catalog in the Universal Registration System (old Heartland AEA system).
• Courses beginning after June 1, 2019, can be found in the Summer Catalog in the new AEA Professional Learning Registration System.

Logging In
Your AEA Login is the same email and password you use to log into the AEA Learning System (e.g. Mandatory Reporter, Bloodborne Pathogens). Once you are logged in, click on the Courses tab to search the catalog.

Online Payment Options

• Visa or MasterCard
• Purchase Order issued by an Iowa school district
• Split payment: a portion of the fee is paid with a purchase order (school district) and the remainder is paid with a credit card (participant)

Transcripts

• Transcripts for courses starting after June 1, 2019, will be available in the statewide system when the course has ended.
• Transcripts for courses that started prior to June 1, 2019, will be available for you to download from our former registration system until Fall 2019.
• After the historical data has been transferred to the statewide system, your complete transcript will be available.

New Statewide Refund Policy:To receive a full refund, you must withdraw at least eight calendar days before the first day of class. After that, there will be no refunds. To withdraw from a course, click on the withdrawal icon next to the course under “My Courses.” If there are extenuating circumstances, contact the sponsoring AEA’s Professional Learning Office.

If you have any questions about registering in the new system, contact the Professional Learning Department.

Share This Monthly Networking Opportunity with Your Parents and Caregivers of Students with Special Needs

Parents and caregivers of students with special needs: join us for “Conversation & Coffee,” our monthly morning coffee group! Learn about community resources and upcoming events and network with parents who have similar experiences and challenges.

Mark your calendar for these Spring 2019 meeting dates!

• April 18, 2019
• May 16, 2019

Conversation & Coffee meets the third Thursday of each month from 9:30 - 11 a.m. at the 100th Street Corner Café in Urbandale. RSVP appreciated but not necessary: Kari Paulsen, Family & Educator Coordinator, Heartland AEA, at kpaulsen@heartlandaea.org or (515) 270-9030 ext. 14493.

April 2019 School Leader Update

The April 2019 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.