In partnership with the Girl Scouts, the Iowa Department of Human Rights' Office on the Status of Women hosts an annual event for girls in grades 7-12 throughout Iowa called Capitol Girls. On Feb. 9, 2017, girls from across Iowa will convene in Des Moines at the Iowa State Capitol to learn about the workings of the Iowa General Assembly and will have an opportunity to meet with the Lt. Governor, female legislators, and other key government leaders to learn about how state laws and budgets are developed and passed. For more information, click here for the 2017 Capitol Girls flyer, visit the Girl Scouts website or email women@iowa.gov.
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.
Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise announced he’s seeking input from Iowans on a draft of proposed statewide social studies standards for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Online survey is open through Jan. 9 and public forums will seek feedback on the draft standards. The online survey is available at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RLVQ52P. Iowans also can provide feedback at three public forums, either in person at three different sites across the state or remotely from satellite sites using video conferencing. The public forum sites and dates are located on the Department’s website.
