Author: Iowa State Department. of Education, Des Moines

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13:

Iowa's educational system is defined by the strong working relationship between the local school districts and area education agencies. Local districts provide the instructional program and area education agencies provide support services. Districts define how services will be organized and provided as they ensure a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Districts can determine special education teacher caseloads (teacher-pupil ratios) of programs and establish procedures to resolve conflicts about caseloads. Historically (from 1974 to 2003), Iowa was divided into 15 intermediate agencies (Area Education Agencies) providing specialized services. Area education agencies (AEAs) were created in order to provide equity in the provision of programs and services across counties or merged areas. One key difference between Iowa's AEA system and intermediate units in other states is that Iowa's AEAs are mandatory. It is also mandatory that each local school district is assigned to an area education agency that will provide the services the school district needs. This is the only system in the country that has this tightly structured system. The AEAs carry special education compliance responsibilities and the charge to provide the services needed by the local school districts. Their primary role is provision of special education support services to individuals under the age of 21 years requiring special education and related services, media services to all children through grade 12, and other educational services to pupils and education staff. The AEAs define the system used to locate and identify students suspected of having disabilities and provide the personnel to conduct evaluation activities in collaboration with LEAs. As described previously, Iowa established 15 area education agencies. However, in 2003, five of the agencies merged into two, which reduced the total number to 12. In 2005, two more agencies merged reducing the total number to 11. The structure of Iowa's State Performance Plan (SPP) is as follows: (1) Overview of the State Performance Plan Development; (2) Monitoring Priority; (3) Indicator; (4) Measurement; (5) Overview of Issue/Description of System or Process; (6) Baseline Data for FFY 2004 (2004-2005); (7) Discussion of Baseline Data; (8) Measurable/Rigorous Targets; and (9) Improvement Activities. Appended are: (1) Dispute Resolution Table 7 FFY 2006 (2006-2007); and (2) Letters.