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
Members of the State Board of Education today endorsed a state task force’s recommendation to adopt the Smarter Balanced assessments as Iowa’s new state test.
The endorsement was part of a board resolution that was adopted in a unanimous vote during a meeting by telephone. The resolution will be sent to Iowa legislators for consideration.
Board members gave several reasons they support the Smarter Balanced assessments, including the need to accurately measure how students have progressed in meeting Iowa’s academic standards. The standards represent statewide expectations for what students should know and be able to do from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“Iowa needs an assessment that is closely aligned with our state standards, reflects what is taught in classrooms and moves us toward having students demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for success beyond high school,” said Charlie Edwards of Des Moines, the board’s president. “We support the Assessment Task Force’s conclusion that Smarter Balanced is the right assessment system for Iowa.”
Adopting the Smarter Balanced assessments was the centerpiece of a Dec. 31 report from the Assessment Task Force, created by lawmakers in 2013 to study Iowa’s assessment needs. Legislators had directed the task force to recommend an assessment that aligns with statewide standards; accurately describes student achievement and growth for the purposes of accountability; provides valid, reliable and fair measures of student progress toward college or career readiness; and has been piloted in Iowa schools.
State Board of Education members closely followed the task force’s work.
“We have great confidence in the task force, which represents a cross-section of stakeholders who understand our state assessment needs,” said Mary Ellen Miller, a board member from Wayne County.
The Smarter Balanced assessments were developed by a consortium of states guided by the belief that a high-quality assessment system aligned to rigorous academic standards can improve teaching and can help prepare students for success in college and career training.
Iowa students currently take the Iowa Assessments in grades 3-8 and 11 in math and reading to meet state and federal accountability laws. The Iowa Assessments are developed and administered by Iowa Testing Programs at the University of Iowa.
The Legislature in 2012 mandated the Iowa Assessments for state and federal accountability purposes. However, the Legislature opened the door for a successor assessment in 2013 by creating the Assessment Task Force as part of House File 215, the landmark education reform bill.
Visit the Smarter Balanced assessments website for more information.
The Blue365® program through Wellmark takes you beyond your health care coverage by offering easy access to trusted health and wellness resources 365 days a year. As a member, you can take advantage of discounts and savings on health care resources, healthy living programs, recreation and travel.
Flex plan participants can request a new debit card at www.myflexonline.com for the 2015 plan year. When the new flex debit card is requested, the participant will be asked if they would like to order an additional card for a spouse or other dependent. Once the debit card has been ordered, the participant should receive their card(s) in approximately two weeks.
Attached is information on how plan participants can order a flex debit card, download and use Kabel Business Services myflex mobile app and upload a claim on www.myflexonline.com.
In this video, Heartland AEA’s HR manager Tony Chiaramonte goes into more detail about our upcoming Educator Career Fair. (Great job, Tony!) Educators can learn more about the March 4 event on the Heartland AEA website.
During the legislative session, the Joint Education Allowable Growth Group (IASB, UEN, AEAs, SAI, ISEA, RSAI) will once again be creating weekly factoids about the need for consistent growth in the state’s annual education spending rate. These “Facts 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. Each week this link will also be shared in The Connection.
Our Northern Neighbors, Money and Achievement
Last week the Communications Department sent out the inaugural issue of the Educator Connection newsletter in its new format. The Educator Connection is intended to keep our educators better connected to our agency and to the many programs and services we offer to educators, students and families. The newsletter is set up through the Agency's website content management system so it can be easily archived on the Heartland AEA website.
We are always looking for topics to include in the newsletter and experts to write them! If you would like something included in an upcoming Educator Connection, please do the following:
- Keep articles short, no more than 500 words and typed in an interesting, jargon-free style.
- If an event is to be announced, include the who, what, when, where and why information as well as the name and contact information of a contact person.
- If possible, include a picture that characterizes the article.
- Prepare a one or two sentence abstract.
Email the Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org if you have a topic you would be willing to write about. Please have your content submitted to the Communications Department by the last workday of the month.
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