Iowa Department of Education Releases FAQ for Reopening Guidance for Schools

The Iowa Department of Education is releasing a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that provides further clarification on the Reopening Guidance for Schools that was written in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and released last Thursday. The FAQ includes explanations and examples regarding support documents and resources for schools, considerations and potential implications regarding the use of face coverings, the ability to maintain social distancing, temperature screenings and what to do if an outbreak occurs in a school, among others. 

The document may be updated with additional questions or if IDPH releases new recommendations in the future, so make sure to look for the most recent publication date. 

The DE will continue to keep you informed of any new updates. All current guidance is included on the COVID-19 Guidance and Information page on their website. In addition, recordings of previous Zoom sessions can be found on their YouTube channel or on their COVID-19 Webinar Recordings for PK-12 School Administrators in Iowa webpage (along with PowerPoint slides as applicable). Return-to-Learn supports can be found on their Return-to-Learn Google site.

May 2018 School Leader Update

The May issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.

Social Studies Update From Iowa Dept. of Education

Stefanie Rosenberg Wager, Social Studies Consultant, from the Iowa Department of Education provides an update of all things social studies.

Iowa Core Literacy Resources Pages Now Available on Iowa Core Website

This week the Iowa Department of Education announced the launch of the Iowa Core Literacy Resources subject pages on IowaCore.gov under the Educator Resources tab. The Statewide Literacy Leadership Team, made up of members from AEAs, LEAs and Institutes of Higher Education, collaborated to select the content of these pages with resources in the areas of ELA/literacy instruction, assessment and professional development that support all students in meeting Iowa's academic expectations. Please share and promote this valuable resource!



Sept. 2015 School Leader Update

The Iowa Department of Education’s Sept. 2015 School Leader Update is now available. Inside, read about the Department of Education’s priorities from Director Ryan Wise, and attorney Nicole Proesch gives you updates on several issues.

Sept. 2015 Each and Every Child Newsletter

The Sept. 2015 issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter is available from the Iowa Department of Education. In this month’s issue, learn why an Algona educator takes special education very personally, and how it makes her determined all children will succeed under her.

New FAST Benchmarks and TIER Updates

New Updated FAST benchmarks were released through the TIER notification system on Aug. 24. These have changed since the DRAFT release earlier in the month on Aug. 11. The revised Early Literacy Universal Screening Benchmarks are dated Aug. 24.

To address some of the recent questions regarding the changes, we are providing the quotes from TIER as to "why" the benchmarks have changed. 

"Early literacy benchmarks (a.k.a. cutpoints) for the FASTBridge screening tools have been updated for the 2015-2016 year. This update is a result of the research and development team having an additional year of screening data on hand, therefore, a larger sample with which to identify target performance levels. These updates should lead to greater consistency between grade levels (e.g., 3rd to 4th, 4th to 5th, etc.) and between measures (i.e., CBMR and aReading). In general, aReading benchmarks are somewhat higher. "

The TIER knowledge base provides access to the most up-to-date information, benchmark scores, etc.

If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Robinson at wrobinson@heartlandaea.org.
 
TIER Slowdowns
The Iowa TIER site has been experiencing some slowdowns and other issues/bugs. Please remember to submit any issues TIER ticketing system.

If you want to do a quick status check on any of the TIER systems, this link provides that information.

August 2015 School Leader Update

The Iowa Department of Education’s August 2015 School Leader Update is now available. In this issue, read what, in part, motivates Director Ryan Wise to ensure quality education for all of Iowa’s children. Attorney Nicole Proesch will catch you up on everything related to back to school. And read about a conference that is geared for your data groups.

Teach Iowa Certification Training Coming Soon!

Are you interested in learning more about using the Teach Iowa system? Please see this brochure and FAQ about an upcoming training opportunity.

The Iowa Department of Education is bringing an AppliTrack trainer to the Des Moines area at the end of September to conduct a Certification Training! Whether you've never been trained on the system or would just like a refresher course, you can benefit from learning what features are available to you. A two-day training session will be held for stand-alone district accounts. A one-day session will be held for all Iowa consortium members consisting of most public school districts, non-public schools, AEAs, colleges, universities and community colleges.

Please have your account set up in advance of arrival, bring a web accessible device with you.  Lunch will be on your own and there is no charge for this training. If you have questions, contact Marietta Rives at Marietta.Rives@iowa.gov or (515) 281-6038 or Kelly Hart at Kelly.hart@iowa.gov or (515) 281-3061.

33 School Districts Added to Iowa's Teacher Leadership System

Thirty-three new school districts have been accepted into the state system, bringing the total number of districts in the teacher leadership system to 198. The 33 new districts were accepted through a one-time opportunity for districts whose plans missed the minimum score in the last round to re-apply. The 33 new districts will implement their teacher leadership plans in the 2016-17 school year. 

Read the Iowa Department of Education’s full release which includes a list of the chosen districts.

Area Schools Recognized for PBIS Programs

On April 23, six schools in our area received state level recognition for their work with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). PBIS emphasizes a school-wide system of support that includes proactive strategies for creating a positive, supportive school culture. Across the state, 39 were recognized for their success with PBIS development, implementation and sustainability. Congratulations to our staff members and school teams who work together to promote greater productivity, safety and learning in our schools.

Area schools recognized were the following:

DeSoto Intermediate School, Adel-DeSoto-Minburn CSD
Horizon Elementary, Johnston CSD
Perry Elementary, Perry CSD
Summit Middle School, Johnston CSD
Western Hills Elementary, West Des Moines CSD
Westwood Elementary, Ankeny CSD

Dates set for Early Literacy Implementation Training: K-6 (Iowa TIER and FAST)

As you may know, Iowa’s Collaborating for Kids (C4K) is again making available for interested districts and non-public schools, training opportunities on the use of Iowa TIER and early literacy screening tools: Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST for K-6 students) and the Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs for preschool students).
The registration window is open until May 8.

All details, including dates, locations and registration links, are available on the Department’s Early Literacy Implementation webpage.

May 2015 School Leader Update Available

The May 2015 issue of the School Leader Update is available from the Iowa Department of Education. This issue includes new information on early literacy implementation (p. 2); summer options offered at no charge by Iowa Learning Online (p. 2); and registration details for summer conferences you may be interested in, including a literacy summit (p. 1) and a professional learning opportunity for those who work with English Language Learners (p. 4).

May 2015 Each and Every Child Newsletter

The May 2015 issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter is available from the Iowa Department of Education. This issue examines a program that teacher parents to be educators. The newsletter will resume in Fall 2015.

State Review Team Recommends Next Generation Science Standards for Iowa

Members of Iowa’s Science Standards Review Team today recommended adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards with modifications as Iowa’s new science standards.

The recommendation will be formalized in a report next month and will be sent to the State Board of Education for consideration.

The Next Generation Science Standards is the name of science standards developed by 26 states, including Iowa, that all states can consider adopting and adapting to meet their needs. Academic standards represent consistent expectations for what students should know and be able to do from kindergarten through 12th grade. Iowa’s academic standards are being reviewed, starting with science, as part of Gov. Branstad’s Executive Order 83.

The review team’s recommendation proposes modifying the Next Generation Science Standards for Iowa so that only the performance expectations section is used, rather than the entire standards document. Members said the performance expectations are easier to understand, especially for teachers in subject areas other than science, and allow for more local control because they are broader than other parts of the standards document.

The team’s recommendation also proposes modifying the Next Generation Science Standards for Iowa by separating them by grade level for kindergarten through 8th grade and organizing the high school standards into a span of grades.

The Science Standards Review Team’s recommendation was based on the expertise of members and feedback from Iowans gathered through public forums and a statewide survey.

Team members said the Next Generation Science Standards represent an improvement from Iowa’s current science standards for a number of reasons. They reflect more modern practices in science, were developed by experts in a process led by states including Iowa, and include engineering practices – which is important as Iowa grows its commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, said Kris Kilibarda, a review team member.

“These standards will prepare our students to be scientifically literate citizens and will provide the base for more advanced study for Iowans who pursue careers in science and engineering,” said Kilibarda, who is director of the Jacobson Institute for Innovation in STEM Education at Grand View University.

The recommendation capped off more than five months of work by the Science Standards Review Team, which is made up of education and business leaders with expertise in physical science, life science, earth and space science, and engineering, technology and application. Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck convened the team last fall to review Iowa’s science standards, as well as rigorous science standards from other states and organizations, and to make a recommendation for improvement.

In December, the review team made a preliminary recommendation to take the Next Generation Science Standards to the public for feedback.

A statewide survey and four public forums throughout the state generated about 2,600 comments in February. A majority of comments were in favor of the Next Generation Science Standards. For example, the survey results showed 69 percent of survey participants agreed that the Next Generation Science Standards will prepare students to be ready for college, careers and other postsecondary options.

Review team members studied and discussed the public feedback at two meetings in March. At their March 24 meeting, team members agreed that the Next Generation Science Standards should be the basis for their work on a final recommendation.

At the April 14 meeting, the review team approved the following recommendation on a 9-2 vote:

• We recommend the Next Generation Science Standards performance expectations be adopted in Iowa as grade-specific standards for grades K-8 and grade-span standards for grades 9-12.

The team will work on a final report to the State Board of Education, which has the legal authority to determine the content of Iowa’s academic standards.

Find out more about the Next Generation Science Standards and Iowa’s academic standards.

For more information about the Science Standards Review Team, visit the Iowa Department of Education’s website.

Iowa’s High School Graduation Rate Tops 90 Percent

Iowa’s four-year graduation rate has climbed statewide for the fourth year in a row while dropout rates continue to fall, according to figures released this week by the Iowa Department of Education.

The data show 90.5 percent of students in Iowa’s Class of 2014 graduated within four years.

“Iowans should be proud that our students are graduating high school at some of the highest rates in the country,” Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck said. “While this is great news, we also must continue to look beyond the high school diploma and ensure all students are prepared for college and career training. This is essential for success in an economy where Iowa workers compete with others from across the world.”

The statewide graduation rate has increased 2.2 percent over a four-year period, from 88.3 percent for the Class of 2011 to 90.5 percent for the Class of 2014. (See chart below.)

Graduation rates increased for all but two subgroups of students in the Class of 2014, with significant increases among students whose first language is not English (7.4 percent), students with disabilities (3.6 percent), students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (3.6 percent), and Hispanic students (2.2 percent).

Read more on the Iowa Department of Education website.

April 2015 School Leader Update Available

The April 2015 issue of the School Leader Update is available from the Iowa Department of Education. Read about Director Brad Buck’s new journey. Shan Sievert gives you a legislative update (hint: progress is being made). And attorney Nicole Proesch writes about everything from prom to privacy.

April 2015 Each and Every Child Newsletter

The April 2015 issue of the Each and Every Child newsletter is available from the Iowa Department of Education.  This issue examines classroom behavior. The DE headed to Iowa City to see how a very disruptive classroom was literally transformed in a matter of months. The data points don’t lie – what they are doing in Iowa City works. In addition, read about a Bettendorf girl who was featured in a national advertising campaign.

Department Announces Iowa Financial Literacy Summit

Teachers, students and parents are encouraged to attend the Iowa Financial Literacy Summit on May 5 in Des Moines. The Iowa Department of Education is hosting this event as part of a broader effort to improve Iowa students’ financial literacy skills. The purpose of the summit is to raise awareness that making smart, responsible financial decisions is an important part of a great education; to provide teaching resources to help students meet the financial literacy component of our state standards; and to connect Iowans with community resources and programs that support financial literacy education. Tickets are available through April 21.

For more information, including the summit agenda and registration information, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.

Branstad, Reynolds, Department of Education announce Iowa Financial Literacy Summit

A great education includes knowing how to make smart, responsible financial decisions. As part of a statewide effort to improve students’ financial literacy skills, Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education today announced they will host an Iowa Financial Literacy Summit this spring and encouraged Iowans to get involved. The summit will be held on May 5 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

The summit is open to all Iowans, including middle and high school students, parents, and educators. The event will include speeches from Branstad, Reynolds, and Jack Kosakowski, chief executive officer of Junior Achievement, an organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
 
Further details about the summit will be announced later this month. Tickets are available through April 21. To register, go to the Iowa Department of Education's website.

The summit will be paid for with funding from the Iowa Department of Education, registration fees and generous support from the private sector. Registration for the day is $50, with room for about 500 attendees.