We’re excited to announce that Learning Ally will remain available at no cost to schools through June 2025, providing critical support for struggling readers.
Already Using Learning Ally?
If your district used Learning Ally last year, you’re encouraged to continue utilizing this resource with eligible students.
Need a Refresher?
If your district used Learning Ally before but needs a refresher, contact Lynette Johnson at ljohnson@learningally.org to update your district records and provide webinars or training.
New to Learning Ally?
If your district hasn’t used Learning Ally yet, Lynette can guide you through the rostering process and discuss training opportunities.
What Does Learning Ally Offer?
Learning Ally provides more than 80,000 human-narrated audiobooks and textbooks aligned with your curriculum. Designed to bridge the gap to grade-level reading, its features include:
- Voice-to-Text: Supports word recognition by highlighting words as they’re narrated.
- In-App Dictionary: Allows students to define unfamiliar words while reading seamlessly.
- Annotation: Enables students to highlight, save, bookmark, and reference specific text.
- Customization: Offers adjustable settings to support diverse learning needs.
These tools help students build vocabulary, complete assignments, and actively participate in group projects.
Learn More:
Take advantage of this incredible resource to support your struggling readers today!
In response to HF2612, we are providing a first quarter summary of the value of the materials checked out from the Heartland AEA library from Sept.-Nov. 2024.*
While PK-7 educators are our largest users, middle and high school teachers also benefit from specialized resources like large-print books, high-interest/low-vocabulary texts, picture books with built-in digital audio, and multilingual materials.
Examples of teacher requests fulfilled this quarter:
- Middle Ages, feudal system, kings and queens
- 30 books | Reading level: 2–4 | Grade: 4
- Fables and pourquoi tales (including Aesop & Anansi)
- 25–30 books | Reading level: K–3 | Grade: 1
- Endangered animals (fiction & nonfiction)
- 25–30 books | Reading level: K–6 | Grade: 9–12
- Books about feelings and emotions
- 25 books | Reading level: K–2 | Grade: special education
- Ecosystems and renewable/nonrenewable resources
- 30 books | Reading level: 3–5 | Grade: 5
- Arabic language books for a family to build literacy at home
- Decodable readers—variety of series
Looking Ahead: Service-for-Fee Model Starts July 2025
As we transition to a service-for-fee model next year, we hope this information highlights the value and impact of Heartland AEA’s library materials and services. We anticipate a subscription model will be developed with each district. Just like Spotify where you can listen as much as you want, this model would allow districts to read as much as they want.
*Districts and nonpublic schools are listed by student population: PK-12 and PK-7.
The Nov./Dec. 2024 Superintendent and Education Leaders Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.
