Our Mission
To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.

Our Goals
• Increase learning growth for students
• Decrease the gap in achievement
• Increase annual graduation rates
• Increase gateways to post-secondary success

“Impacting Lives” Blog Showcases AEA Services

View the latest Impacting Lives update at http://aeas4iowa.wordpress.com/ for stories about the many ways Iowa's AEAs are making a difference. The first two stories are from the Heartland AEA area. 

In this issue: 

• Parent & Principal Tweets Thank You Message for Son’s AEA Services 
• Andrew’s Awakening: AEA/School Team Help Boy Learn Positive Communication 
• Ray’s family finds hope through AEA staff 
• Helping Children with Autism: Jaxon’s story

Package Increases Announced for Certified Non-Union and Classified Non-Union Staff

Certified Non-Union 
The Heartland AEA Board of Directors approved a total package increase of 4.5% for Certified Non-Union staff. This group includes staff such as regional directors and other certified leadership positions within the Agency. Additional information will be provided to the CNU employees at the Leaders meeting on April 15. 

Classified Non-Union 
The Heartland AEA Board of Directors approved a total package increase of 3.346% for Classified Non-Union staff. A meet and confer session is scheduled for the CLNU group on April 28 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Des Moines. 

If you have any questions, contact Laura Gillon, Executive Director of Human Resources, at lgillon@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14416.

2014-15 Employee Work Calendars Now Available

The 2014-15 calendar has been added to the Employee Dashboard for all staff who need to complete a calendar. The link to this function is found in the Calendar Online Forms folder on the Leave Online tab. 

The calendar presented will be the default calendar based on the individual staff member’s pay assignment. This will look very similar to the Online Calendar View function. However, functionality is built into the interface to allow the personalization of the calendar to reflect the staff member’s schedule. This is done by simply clicking on the day in question. Each time a day is clicked it will change to one of the following: 

Blue X – represents a non-working day 
Green / – represents a half working day 
White Space – represents a full working day 

A yellow H represents unpaid holidays, and a yellow H followed by an asterisk (*) represents paid holidays. Sundays and holidays cannot be changed. 

At the top of the screen two numbers will be presented. The number on the left is the number of working days based on the days selected as such. In other words, the total of the white spaces (full days) and green slashes (half days). The second number is the number of days expected to work based on the pay assignment. These two numbers must match when the calendar is submitted. 

A help doc named “Calendar Online Entry Documentation” is available on the Help tab. This document describes in detail all functions of the interface. 

When the calendar is submitted, it will be routed to the staff member’s supervisor just as a leave request would be. And, just as a leave request, the supervisor will review and can approve or reject your calendar. Applicable emails are sent to the staff member and their need-to-know person as well. 

Once approved, the 2014-15 calendar can be viewed by the staff member, the supervisor and the need-to-know person. Also, all subsequent changes to the 2014-15 calendar must be submitted via the Calendar Exchange Online request system after July 1, 2014. 

The working days calendars are due before you leave for the summer or June 13, whichever comes first. 

 If you have any questions, contact Samantha Perry, Human Resources Specialist, at sperry@heartlandaea.org or ext. 12319.

Reminder: Benefit Enrollment is OPEN!

Here’s another reminder that benefits enrollment is open from April 1 through April 30! 

A few things to keep in mind: 

• Benefits enrolled in during this month take effect July 1. 
• If you are enrolled in two or more plans (medical flex, dependent care flex, HRA) and are trying to check your balances on Kabelbiz.com, you have to have a separate user ID and password for each account. (Kabel requires a different login and password for each account.) 
• Don’t be too concerned if your current or updated Primary Care Physician (PCP) # is not displaying on your enrollment page AS LONG AS you have contacted Wellmark and changed it with them (800-524-9242). 
• Dependent care flex plan enrollment will be in November for deductions/contributions for January through December 2015. 

 And again, don’t forget to enroll!

AEA Legislative Update

Click here to read this week’s legislative update from the AEA system’s lobbyists, Matt Eide, John Pederson and Tom Lane. We will bring you these updates weekly throughout the legislative session.

The Facts About Education Funding

The Joint Education Allowable Growth Group (IASB, UEN, AEAs, SAI, ISEA) developed an action plan to address Iowa’s declining education funding and the need for consistent growth in the annual spending rate (as well as the need to set the rate consistent with law). A weekly “Fact About Education Funding” will be sent to all legislators, Gov. Branstad and Dept. of Education Director Buck highlighting a pertinent fact about education spending in Iowa. 

Iowa’s Per Pupil Expenditure Gap Widens