AEA services in jeopardy with HSB 542

To the Editor,

   I am writing to call attention to HSB (House Study Bill) 542 in the Iowa Legislature. This bill incorporates Governor Reynolds’ and Republicans’ ideas to change education policy in Iowa. The implications of this bill are dire and will reduce services from the AEA (Area Education Agencies) for students and especially rural schools.

   AEA services support three major categories of student learning. These service areas are special education (about 70 percent) or the AEA budget, media services (books and other learning materials), and curriculum support especially for math, reading, science, and general school improvement.

   The proposed legislation will remove from the AEAs the media services and curriculum services. This may mean the end of science curriculum and other resources which are extensively supported by Grant Wood AEA. The materials currently possessed in these areas by the AEAs will become property of the state. Local schools having access to curriculum resources outside the school confines may be gone or much less accessible under a state centralized system.

   The governance of the AEAs with a local/regional board will be moved to only advisory. All AEA administrative services will be directly under the direction of the Iowa Department of Education.

   Special education services will also be directly supervised by the Iowa Department of Education. It appears all special education staff will become State of Iowa employees and not AEA employees. This may lead to the departure of many special education staff to other job options. The consequence of this policy move will decrease the support for students with learning challenges.

   This first few pages of the bill references that special education services are for K-12 students. Later in the proposed bill, there is a reference for Early Access, which is birth to age 3. The Federal Special Education Law (94-142) entitles individuals to special education services from birth to age 21.

   My questions are for Senator Koelker and Representative Bradley:

   1. What is your position on the removal of local control from the AEAs, both for the board and administration? Are you not the party of local control?

   2. Why remove or move the curriculum resources and property of AEAs to the Iowa Department of Education?

   3. What assurance do you have that a Des Moines-based agency (Iowa Department of Education) can effectively supervise the assessment of students for special education and quality/evidenced-based instruction for all students?

   Senator Koelker and Representative Bradley, I am eager for your response to the proposed questions.

Respectfully,

Keith Stamp

Monticello, Iowa