HAA Meeting Update: Feb. 3 Zoom Check-In

This is a reminder that the Feb. 3 HAA meeting will be held as a Zoom check-in from 10:30–11:30 a.m. There will be no in-person meeting. The agenda will include partnership updates. Calendar invitations with the Zoom link have been sent.

Bring Your Portrait of a Graduate to Life With Custom, District-Branded Design

Work with one of our talented graphic designers to create a professionally designed portrait of a graduate/learner infographic for your district. The designer will work closely with you or your team to make your concept a reality with visuals branded for your district. We can incorporate your infographic into a number of different products, including posters, bookmarks, stickers and more.

Custom graphic design is $40 per hour, charged in 15-minute increments.

Reach out to creativeservices@heartlandaea.org to set up a time to discuss your project or submit your custom graphic design order on Creative Services Online.

Heartland AEA Now Part of UNI’s Grow Your Own School Psychologist Program

Spread the word to potential school psychologists!

About the Program
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI), in partnership with seven of Iowa’s AEAs, is offering a collaborative “grow your own” program that trains new school psychologists to increase access to mental health services in high-need, rural Iowa schools. Participants earn an Ed.S. in school psychology through UNI while continuing to work full-time. Upon graduation, students commit to serving as AEA school psychologists in rural areas, helping address critical local needs.

Two pathways are available:

• Bachelor’s track: For educators currently working in schools (teachers, paraprofessionals, etc.); Ed.S. in 4 years
• Master’s track: For professionals in education and related fields; Ed.S. in 3 years
• Two cohorts of ~12 students each (Cohort 1 begins in June 2026, Cohort 2 begins in Summer 2027)

Why It Matters
Iowa faces a critical shortage of school psychologists. While NASP recommends 1 psychologist per 500 students, current ratios in Iowa range from 1:1,657 to 1:7,857, limiting student access to mental health supports.

Program Benefits
Financial support: books provided each semester, travel costs covered for instructional sessions, 90% of tuition and fees covered through grants, internship licensure and national exam fees paid

• Part-time study while working full-time
• Strong professional engagement

Service Commitment

• Graduates commit to 3 years of service in their AEA after completion
• Early departure may require repayment of some program costs

Learn More!
Jan. 26, 2026 | 3:30–4:30 PM, Zoom link, Passcode: 724638
Jan. 27, 2026 | 4:00–5:00 PM, Zoom link, Passcode: 249336

Spread the Word: Certified Paraeducator Courses Offered This Summer

Heartland AEA is offering the Paraeducator Generalist certification courses this summer. To apply for the Paraeducator Generalist Certificate through the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, participants must complete three required courses:

• Course I: Foundations (strongly recommended to take first)
• Course II
• Course III

Each course costs $120, for a total of $360. Courses include required live Zoom sessions along with additional online coursework that can be completed on your schedule.

These courses are a great opportunity to strengthen your knowledge, build confidence in your role, and earn a recognized credential that supports student success.

👉 View the full summer schedule and register!

AEA CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® Training Continues at No Cost to Districts in 2026–27

Heartland AEA has transitioned our CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training model to be as cost-efficient as possible. We are now operating under a service-area-based training model. This means we will offer CPI training in each Heartland AEA service area at various times throughout the year. These trainings are open to any districts/schools within the Heartland AEA service area. We will offer a series of pre-service sessions in August 2026, followed by offerings in September/October 2026 and January/February 2027.

Based on what we know at this point, we will continue to align with the Iowa Department of Education's directive that Iowa’s AEAs use state-allocated children’s mental health school-based training and support funds to offer CPI training free of charge to school districts. Therefore, for the 2026-2027 school year, Heartland CPI training facilitators and materials will continue to be provided free of charge.

Please refer to all the training details in the CPI Communication for 2026-2027.

If you have any questions, please contact Jadie Boens, Director of School and Student Support

Services.