New Guidance on HF 68 and TLC Funds

New guidance on House File 68 and Teacher Leadership and Compensation program funds has been released. This guidance document outlines options for districts when utilizing TLC funds.

Iowa’s AEAs Are Offering TLC PD Courses Statewide

The state’s AEA system is offering four TLC related courses across the state to assist districts in their plans for TLC training this summer and into the upcoming year. Educators and administrators are welcome to attend the classes in any of the posted locations.

Cognitive Coaching

Teacher Leadership Support System

Student-Centered Coaching

Teaching Transparently

Interim Study of Iowa’s Teacher Leadership System Shows Positive Results

The first school districts to launch teacher leadership plans through Iowa’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System reported a positive impact on educators’ professional climate and classroom instruction, according to an interim evaluation report released by the Iowa Department of Education.

Teachers and administrators in the first 115 school districts chosen to launch teacher leadership plans – 39 districts in the 2014-15 school year and 76 in 2015-16 – reported greater availability, frequency and quality of teacher leadership roles, support through professional development, and collaboration among teachers compared to school districts that had not yet entered the system. Teachers and administrators also reported the system had improved instruction, teacher satisfaction and professional climate. Read the full report here.

Keeping School Improvement Practical, Reasonable and Doable for PK - 6 Leadership Teams

Elementary Building Leadership Teams across Heartland AEA are invited to join this workshop to deepen their understanding in Iowa's Big Rocks:

• Effective leadership team traits
• The interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative (ELI), Teacher Leadership Compensation (TLC), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Differentiated Accountability (DA), Collaborating for Kids (C4K), and Standards and Curriculum
• Building consensus with staff and constituents
• The use of C4K school improvement tools.

This opportunity will assist teams in moving forward from the summer TLC-C4K events on June 20 and Aug. 1, however attendance at those leadership sessions is not required for this day.

Date: Sept. 29, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA, Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, Iowa
Registration here

Complete TLC and Teacher Support Survey - You Might Win an iPad Mini 2 or $50 Amazon Gift Card

The Iowa Department of Education and the American Institutes for Research invites Iowa teachers and school and district leaders to complete the Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) and Teacher Support Survey by May 6.

Take the survey now

Share the survey with teachers, teacher leaders, principals and assistant principals in your school and encourage them to take the survey. A survey participation tip sheet and FAQ flyer are provided.

Findings from the survey will be used to determine supports for districts, recommendations for the system as a whole, and to communicate the impact TLC is having across the state.

If you have any questions or technical issues with this survey, contact the survey coordinator, Melissa Yisak at (800) 634-0766 or Iowa_survey@air.org.

"Impacting Literacy Leadership for Administrators" Professional Learning Sessions Coming Soon

Iowa administrators and teacher leaders are invited to three professional learning events on the components and interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative, Teacher Leadership Compensation, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Differentiated Accountability, Collaborating for Kids and Standards and Curriculum.

Impacting Literacy Leadership - Making the Connections
This one-day training provides an overview of the components of Multi Tiered Systems of Support while connecting this learning to Early Literacy Implementation and Differentiated Accountability. Members from the Iowa Department of Education and state AEAs will lead collaborative learning around the continuous improvement tools that have been developed through the Collaborating for Iowa's Kids (C4K) and the Teacher Leadership Structure. Action planning for implementation will also be integrated throughout the day so administrators can think about how to leverage their teacher leader resources back in their buildings.

Date: June 20, 2016
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 Third Street, Des Moines
Cost: $25
Register by June 15
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Tools to Support MTSS Implementation
Save the date for this follow-up event to the June training. Administrators AND their teachers/teacher leaders and training cadre are invited.

Date: Aug. 1, 2016
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 Third Street, Des Moines
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Keeping School Improvement Practical, Reasonable, and Doable for PK - 6 Leadership Teams

PreK - 6 Elementary Building Leadership Teams across Heartland AEA will come together to deepen their understanding in:

• Effective leadership team traits
• The interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative, Teacher Leadership Compensation (TLC), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Differentiated Accountability, Collaborating for Kids (C4K) and Standards and Curriculum
• Building consensus with staff and constituents and the use of C4K school improvement tools

This opportunity will assist teams in moving forward from the summer TLC-C4K (June 20 and Aug. 1, 2016), however attendance at those leadership sessions is not required for this day.

Date: Sept. 29, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register here. There is no cost to attend.

"Impacting Literacy Leadership for Administrators" Professional Learning Sessions Coming Soon

Iowa administrators and teacher leaders are invited to three professional learning events on the components and interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative, Teacher Leadership Compensation, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Differentiated Accountability, Collaborating for Kids and Standards and Curriculum.

Impacting Literacy Leadership - Making the Connections
This one-day training provides an overview of the components of Multi Tiered Systems of Support while connecting this learning to Early Literacy Implementation and Differentiated Accountability. Members from the Iowa Department of Education and state AEAs will lead collaborative learning around the continuous improvement tools that have been developed through the Collaborating for Iowa's Kids (C4K) and the Teacher Leadership Structure. Action planning for implementation will also be integrated throughout the day so administrators can think about how to leverage their teacher leader resources back in their buildings.

Date: June 20, 2016
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 Third Street, Des Moines
Cost: $25
Register by June 15
---------------------------------------------
Tools to Support MTSS Implementation
Save the date for this follow-up event to the June training. Administrators AND their teachers/teacher leaders and training cadre are invited.

Date: Aug. 1, 2016
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 Third Street, Des Moines
--------------------------------------------
Keeping School Improvement Practical, Reasonable, and Doable for PK - 6 Leadership Teams

PreK - 6 Elementary Building Leadership Teams across Heartland AEA will come together to deepen their understanding in:

• Effective leadership team traits
• The interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative, Teacher Leadership Compensation (TLC), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Differentiated Accountability, Collaborating for Kids (C4K) and Standards and Curriculum
• Building consensus with staff and constituents and the use of C4K school improvement tools

This opportunity will assist teams in moving forward from the summer TLC-C4K (June 20 and Aug. 1, 2016), however attendance at those leadership sessions is not required for this day.

Date: Sept. 29, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register here. There is no cost to attend.

97 School Districts Added to Iowa’s Teacher Leadership System

Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced the next group of school districts chosen to launch local teacher leadership plans through Iowa’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System. Ninety-seven school districts have been added to the state system, bringing the total number of districts in the teacher leadership system to 295 (88 percent of Iowa districts). To see the list of school districts and learn more about Iowa’s teacher leadership system, visit the Department’s website.

All Iowa School Districts Applied to Join Teacher Leadership and Compensation System

Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that all 336 Iowa school districts have applied to join the state’s Teacher Leadership and Compensation System, the most comprehensive teacher leadership system in the nation. This targeted effort to tap into the expertise of top teachers to better support the more demanding work that teachers are expected to do and to raise student achievement is the centerpiece of the landmark education reform package adopted by the Legislature and signed by Branstad in 2013.

For more information, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.