Proposal relating to AEAs worries many

Many close to education are concerned about the potentially brisk progress of a proposal in the Iowa State Legislature relating to the subject. Among other things, it could provide for sweeping reform of the work Area Education Agencies do for area school districts, their educators and their students.

A form of the proposal going through the Legislature is 123 pages long online.

Governor Kim Reynolds’ website states that one of her educational priorities for the 90th General Assembly is reforming Area Educational Agencies to improve special education services for students with disabilities, and in general, achievement outcomes.

Reynolds said during her Condition of the State Address last week that Iowa’s students with disabilities are performing below the national average academically, even though she feels adequate dollars are being spent on the cause.

The proposal

The heart of the issue comes down to supervision and funding, she said.

“AEAs receive more than $529 million in funding for fiscal year 2023 yet have had little meaningful oversight or accountability over the years,” her website says. “And because special education funds flow directly to the AEAs, school districts have no choice but to use their regional AEA to provide services for their students. After 50 years, it’s time to reform the AEA system and refocus it on its core mission — providing high quality special education services and helping students with disabilities reach their potential.”

The Governor believes these goals can be achieved by shifting funding to school districts that now has to be repaid to the AEAs.

She has a goal of allowing districts to work with providers who will best meet the needs of their students.

She wants to shift general supervision authority and related funds to the Iowa Department of Education. AEAs would provide only special education services for children and students with disabilities up to age 21 under the proposal.

A few exceptions would be providing special and general education services to juvenile, detention and foster care children and adults, as well as providing some services pursuant to current contracts.

In addition, funds that are currently paid by schools back to the AEA for special education would be up to the schools to direct toward whatever means they find for servicing their special education students, whether that be their own AEA, another AEA or another firm altogether.

Reynolds’ proposal allows a one year-long transition period to implement changes. She said this would ensure stability and improve support for children and students with disabilities.

At risk of being eliminated are virtual and physical resources for schools, supports in many areas for school districts and all supports for students that relate to areas other than special education.

From a parent and educator

Kristy Broers of Fontanelle is a wife, mother and former educator. All of her children, in some way or another, have received services from the AEA.

Some of them have been involved in the Talented and Gifted program at Nodaway Valley, so they have benefited from guidance their teachers have received from the AEA. They’ve also played sports for coaches who have become certified to coach through avenues the AEA provides.

When Broers was in the classroom teaching music, there were countless ways the AEA guided her and provided resources or training for her.

When the Broerses brought their son, Stephen, home from the Philippines, where they adopted him from, the AEA came to evaluate him.

“He clearly had many special needs that required extra care and we didn’t know where to start,” Broers said. “That evaluation led him to being placed in the Nodaway Valley preschool where he received services for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy. Those services were key in providing the things Stephen needed to help him learn and help his abilities improve.”

Stephen not only received direct services from the AEA, his teachers did as well as they worked with him.

Stephen continues receiving services through the AEA in Occupational and Physical Therapy at CAM Elementary School.

The AEA has provided Stephen’s teachers with ideas and equipment to help Stephen learn to feed himself, hold a writing utensil and use the restroom safely.

“They’ve even given us suggestions on things we can do to improve his mobility and learning at home,” Broers said. “Stephen requires a lot of extra care and the AEA has been monumental in helping him become the person God made him to be.”

Broers stated she feels like Iowa’s education system “keeps being attacked, and that those most vulnerable continue to have things taken from them, and those in our government keep taking from those who need it most.

“I don’t understand how they believe they can expect more from schools/educators but provide them with significantly less,” Broers added. “It’s really disheartening and not only makes me fear for my childrens’ education, but it makes me question being an educator.”

From an AEA staffer

Rebecca Hamilton of Greenfield works as a Special Education Representative Coordinator with Green Hills AEA. There are many aspects of her job.

Four days a week, Hamilton works with all special education representatives in the region, answering questions and providing support, as well as planning professional development pertaining to work in special education.

One day a week, Hamilton is the special education representative for Nodaway Valley High School. In that role, she works with the process through which children in Iowa qualify for special education, called Child Find. She regularly meets with various people who are involved in educating special education students.

In addition to these roles, Hamilton works on a transition team focused on getting students ready for life after high school. She is also on a team that trains teachers and other school staff multiple times a school year techniques to prevent crisis or de-escalate students.

Hamilton was drawn to work at the AEA because of a position she held at Quakerdale, a facility in Manning that served at-risk youth until it closed in 2016.

“I really enjoy the people I work with,” Hamilton said. Over the past eight years, she’s gotten to work with staff in eight area districts.

“This includes approximately 15 administrators, 35 teachers and 430 special education students. Each one of these individuals has brought learning opportunities for me both personally and professionally,” she said. “I have had the opportunity to meet amazing and dedicated professionals, students and families.”

AEA staff are generally concerned because the level of cuts being proposed within organizations, which began in 1974 and was already reformed many years ago to stretch resources even more thin. More reform or cuts would leave inadequate resources for staff to meet the needs of students and staff in the districts they serve, Hamilton fears.

“The bill will impact all students, including public and accredited private schools,” said, whose daughter attends St. Malachy Catholic School, an accredited private school in Creston. “Districts will still need the services that the proposal eliminates, these will have to be hired or contracted out.”

From a special education teacher

The proposal has also left special education teachers worried.

A special education teacher of 17 years in varying districts, currently at Nodaway Valley, Laura Stearns echoed many of the thoughts Broers did. She worries that realignment of services or cutting of services will have negative impacts on the ability for students and staff to take advantage of certain resources out there, and not just in special education.

“Without the knowledge, experience and patience of the AEA staff, it would have made my job a lot harder and would have hurt the students. The AEA not only assists the special education staff but also the general education staff, as well as students and parents,” Stearns said. “Without these individuals working with students on an IEP to be successful, many of these students would not be where they are today. All aspects of the AEA are vital to the success of not only students, but also staff and parents. Without all of these supports, I feel that we all will suffer.”

From a school administrator

Nodaway Valley Superintendent Paul Croghan told the newspaper that the district uses the AEA for special education, support, training of staff, paraeducator certifications, instructional resources, career and technical education (CTE) support and guidance, early childhood access support, speech services, technology support, mediation, superintendent support, and more.

“These are just a few of the items that the AEA supports our staff, students and community with in providing educational support,” Croghan said. “As you can see, if the AEAs are being only tasked with special education support, school districts are going to have to decide how they will cover the other support services students and families receive. I would hope the legislators spend some time thinking about everything the AEAs are doing to help schools. Special education is just a part of the services provided.”

Sorensen weighs in

Representative Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield says the current proposal has been vetted by the House and Senate committees, so it still needs to go through subcommittee and full committee before hitting each chamber.

“I personally will not have a vote on this until it hits the floor, and when it does, you will know what I think of the bill, where I’m leaning and why [through my weekly newsletter],” Sorensen said. “This session, one of our top focuses is improving education outcomes for students. So far, streamlining the oversight of AEAs seems like a part of the bill I can get on board with — and yes, I know about the board and accreditation already in place. I no longer sit on the education committee, so following the edits and amendments will be important to where I stand when it hits the floor. I will lean on the advice of experts in the field, opinions of my school districts, and of course, my constituents.”

Also relating to education, Reynolds made a proposal to up teacher pay this year to the tune of a minimum of $50,000 per year.