AEA Update for Iowa School Administrators #2
IEC Saves Schools Money; Iowa AEA Online Offers Solution for Student
IEC Saves Schools Money Iowa Area Education Agencies created the Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) about a decade ago to help schools pool their purchasing power through a group buying cooperative. Last year, the IEC handled purchases . . . read more
AEA Update for Iowa School Administrators
Technology Solution Supports Immunity-Challenged Student
Why You Have Received This E-mail As our partners in education, we want you to know more about what the AEAs do. We also want to hear from you regarding success stories of how the AEA has impacted your students’ lives. Eight . . . read more
Response to March 4, 2010, Des Moines Register article
On Thursday, March 4, the Des Moines Register published an article regarding the Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) and recent communications between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Iowa Department of Education. The article . . . read more
"How To Stay Focused on Teaching and Learning in Tough Economic Times"
Workshop sessions planned May 12-13, 2010
As school leaders face difficult budget decisions, focusing on teaching and learning is even more challenging. This one-day workshop with Dr. Allan Odden will offer strategies to assist in squeezing the most out of your education dollars. . . . read more
AEA resources provide support for independence
For 35 years, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies have been providing a multitude of resources and support to all of Iowa’s children, families, and schools. Molly (Rezac) Giddings, a young woman born with Spina Bifida, belongs to a . . . read more
Impacting Lives for 35 Years
Iowa Area Education Agencies celebrate 35 years of service to schools and communities
Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) are celebrating 35 years of service to children, families, educators, and communities. In 1974, the passage of Senate File 1163 established 15 area education agencies (AEAs) with the same service . . . read more
Iowa AEA Online provides educational resources
School can be very frustrating when you are unable to read proficiently. Heather Cary, a level three special education teacher at Denison Community School District , knows this very well. She devotes much of her time each day trying to . . . read more
AEA services support children and families
A student was riding a bicycle when struck by a bus on a city street. After initial medical treatment was given for the many injuries, AEA staff worked with the student's parents and school staff to provide interventions and to evaluate . . . read more
Talking about the ABC's of ATB's: Iowa Schools Budget Communications Toolkit
Recent announcements to cut the Iowa budget by 10 percent across-the-board within the current fiscal year presents a series of challenges to school administrators. However, it also affects: board members, parents, . . . read more
The facts about AEA flow-through funding
As budgets get tight and school boards and administrators study their cash flows, one topic that continues to bubble up is the line item in school district budgets that shows AEA flow-through dollars. Since AEA funds appear in the local . . . read more
Iowa Culture and Language Conference set for February
The annual Iowa Culture and Language Conference will be held Feb. 9 and 10, 2010, at Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines, Iowa. A pre-conference will be on Feb. 8. This year's theme is "Rooted to Grow: Diverse Learners in the . . . read more
Succeeding with ELL Report released
The Council of the Great City Schools has just released summary of findings from several large school districts across the U.S. regarding achievement levels of English Language Learners. This publication identifies practices that have, . . . read more
AEA services support children, families
Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) provide services to children with disabilities and education to parents about those disabilities. The Council Bluffs Nonpareil wrote about the services a family received from Loess Hills AEA in . . . read more
International poetry and art contest entries due Dec. 1
Each year, River of Words ® (ROW) conducts an international environmental poetry and art competition for youth aged five to 19 in grades K-12, in affiliation with The Library of Congress Center for the Book . This free contest is . . . read more
Iowa’s AEAs feature booth at the Iowa State Fair
Visit Iowa’s Area Education Agencies at the 2009 Iowa State Fair, August 13-23, in Des Moines. For the second year, the AEAs will feature a booth in the William C. Knapp Varied Industries Building. The booth will highlight . . . read more
Iowa Honored for Work on 21st Century Skills for Students
State one of only seven states to receive the 21st Century Skills Practice of the Year Award
Iowa received the 21st Century Skills Practice of the Year Award, which is sponsored by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and commemorates the country’s preeminent state-led education reform initiatives. Specifically, the award . . . read more
Iowa Area Education Agencies
Partners in Education
Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) are regional service agencies, which provide school improvement services for students, families, teachers, administrators and their communities. AEAs provide special education support services, media . . . read more
Professional Development opportunities
One of the cornerstone services of Iowa’s Area Education Agencies is professional development. Each of Iowa’s 10 Area Education Agencies provides a comprehensive set of professional development offerings designed to build the . . . read more
Accessing AEA services
All kids learn in different ways, at different levels and may need additional support to achieve success. If you become concerned about your child’s progress, please contact your child’s teacher immediately. And, if your child is . . . read more
Parent involvement: The key to academic success
More and more, studies are showing that when parents are involved in their children’s education, academic achievement goes up. Still, given the pace of today’s busy family life, how can parents get and stay involved? Here are . . . read more
Speech-language intervention makes a world of difference
Julia is a first grade student in a parochial school in a large school district. She is bright and inquisitive and has a terrific sense of humor. She has a wonderful, supportive family and loving home. Julia is the youngest of three . . . read more
Students create music video in class with help from AEA
On a cold November day, 40 fifth-graders in one of the state’s larger school districts had a unique learning opportunity using tools and skills available through the AEA. Some of the students wrote the narrative for a video the . . . read more
AESA Presentations
Resources from the conference
Iowa's Area Education Agencies provided many presentations the recent Association of Educational Service Agencies conference. Click here for a pdf of the PowerPoint, "How We Collaborate to Enhance the AEAs’ Statewide Image," . . . read more
School psychologists strive to remove barriers to learning
Good mental health is important for everyone. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, mental health is as important as physical health to our quality of life. Mental health is not simply the absence of mental . . . read more
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD for short, becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. There are three primary characteristics of ADHD that appear early in a child’s life and occur . . . read more
Iowa Department of Education 2008 Disaster Recovery
Due to recent severe weather and flood conditions in Iowa, the Iowa Department of Education is providing disaster recovery information to Iowa’s school districts, area education agencies, community colleges, and others to help . . . read more
Assistance with Homework
Homework can have many benefits for children. It can help them lock in skills or concepts they have studied during class. It can also help them develop study skills that can be invaluable in college or even in the working world. It . . . read more
Early ACCESS: Partnership resources to help children grow and develop
You may have heard of Early ACCESS. It’s a partnership that provides resources to help children grow and develop. As a parent, if you have a concern about your infant or toddler’s growth and development, you’ll do anything . . . read more
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act or IDEA 2004
About three years ago, the U.S. Department of Education approved new federal regulations governing the amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Law that’s now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education . . . read more
Teachers, students, schools can save time and money with the Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC)
The Iowa Educators Consortium, IEC, offers a number of discounts on products for use by teachers, students and schools. The IEC is an initiative of the Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs). The IEC provides a voluntary purchasing . . . read more
Iowa AEA Online offers educational resources for students, teachers
Iowa AEA Online is a statewide collaborative project that provides no-cost access to high-quality, web-based resources for all Iowa students and teachers. These electronic, across-the-curriculum resources allow all schools, regardless . . . read more
AEAs provide support for Iowa’s Six-Year State Performance Plan
Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs) are playing an important role in providing support for the state’s Six-Year Performance Plan. The Six-Year State Performance Plan is a nationwide initiative. Iowa’s plan was submitted by the . . . read more
Iowa Collaborative Assessment Modules
(ICAM)
Our Purpose The Iowa Collaborative Assessment Modules (ICAM) are stand-alone assessments that can be used to meet state requirements for multiple measures. Each module has been designed to align with a content standard in either . . . read more
Website Offers Parents a Look at the Iowa Core Curriculum
Expectations for all Iowa students searchable by content area and grade span
The Iowa Department of Education has launched a new Iowa Core Curriculum website at www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov . The purpose of the official Iowa Core Curriculum site is to help Iowa parents and all citizens learn more . . . read more
