Recertifying Iowa Core Implementation Plans

1.  In the event of your plans were uncertified, there was an email that directly came to your district from the Iowa Department of Education that outlines your next steps and how to revise your plans and recertify.

2.  As you work through your revisions, you will be able to click on the iLogs icon to get additional assistance, but ultimately, the DE will be looking for all answers to reflect components of the Self Study Review @ https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B26qlKUzLGEyZzZERHBWOXc2REE/edit?usp=sharing We made this review available in the spring.

3.  We would recommend that these revisions be done in a timely manner.  Having said that, if your district is up for a DE Site visit, all plans housed on the C-Plan portal need to be properly certified in order to be compliant for the site visit.    

4. As always, we're here to help.  Please don't hesitate to give your AEA Iowa Core Lead a call to assist.

Iowa Reading Research Center

Iowa Reading Research Center

Are you looking for the information about literacy to share with staff, parents, board members, or the public? The place to go to get that information is the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC) website. The center’s purpose is to apply current research for the development of literacy across Iowa. 

The most recent information shared by the IRRC is about the current state of literacy instruction

in Iowa. The three regents universities surveyed educational staff across Iowa to find out what is currently being done with literacy instruction. A report summarizing those findings is located on

the IRRC website.

The IRRC website also has information on the following topics:

     •Reading assessments                                            •Data reporting system

     •Evidence-based interventions and strategies         •Early literacy framework

     •Summer reading program                                       •Professional learning

     •Parent resources and information                                   

For more information, contact Dr. Michelle Hosp, Director of the Iowa Reading Research Center, at mhosp@gwaea.org or Iowa Reading Research Center.


*Published with permission from the Keystone AEA "Daker Report"

Common Core in Iowa: What you Need to Know

https://www.educateiowa.gov/article/2013/09/11/common-core-iowa-what-you-need-know

Power Standards and the Iowa Core: Guidance from the DE

Power Standards and the Iowa Core: Guidance from the DE

Many schools have determined that they are going to be focusing their energy on identifying and teaching “power standards” in the Iowa Core. Last spring, guidance from the Iowa Department of Education related to this topic was shared with educators in Iowa. That guidance included the following:

“Power Standards” take on a different meaning in the Iowa Core. The Iowa Core represents a much more focused set of standards intended for all students.  Defining Power Standards in order to determine standards that will not be taught and assessed

is not in compliance with Iowa Code 256.7 (26).

An important first step in prioritizing implementation of the Iowa Core is helping educators develop deep understanding of the standards. Your local AEA can provide tools and resources for English Language Arts and Math. Next, collaborative learning teams can spend time examining the skills and knowledge inherent in standard for Mathematics and English Language Arts by using the StandardsInsight tool.  Collaborative
learning teams can then take on the task of determining priorities for instruction from the standards.

*Published with permission from the Keystone AEA "Daker Report"

Peer Observations focused on the Implementation of the Common Core

With recent legislation regarding Practitioner Collaboration and Peer Observations/Reviews, I thought I'd share a great resource on the Achievethecore.org site..."Putting the Core Into Practice".  This section contains tools that provide specific guidance as to what the Common Core State Standards in ELA / literacy and mathematics look like in the classroom. It is intended to help teachers and those who support teachers build understanding and strengthen practice.
Use these tools for: (1) Self-reflection  (2) Peer-to-peer observation and feedback and (3) Instructional coaching.  Check it out @ http://www.achievethecore.org/dashboard/410/search/3/1/0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12 
NOTE: You will have to register to use this site...no worries...IT'S FREE!

Iowa Core Implementation Plans

In the next couple of weeks, you will most likely be hearing from the Iowa Department of Education whether your Iowa Core Implementation Plans were certified or not.  There are a few things we wanted to share with you regarding this:

1.  In the event of your plans being uncertified, there will be an email that comes directly to you from the Iowa Department of Education that outlines your next steps and how to revise your plans and recertify.

2.  As you work through your revisions, you will be able to click on the iLogs icon to get additional assistance, but ultimately, the DE will be looking for all answers to reflect components of the Self Study Review @ https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B26qlKUzLGEyZzZERHBWOXc2REE/edit?usp=sharing We made this review available in the spring.

3.  We would recommend that these revisions be done in a timely manner.  Having said that, if your district is up for a DE Site visit, all plans housed on the C-Plan portal need to be properly certified in order to be compliant for the site visit.    

4. As always, we're here to help.  Please don't hesitate to give your AEA Iowa Core Lead a call to assist.

Iowa Early Learning Standards supporting our Iowa Core Work

Wondering how Early Childhood can support our work of the Iowa Core?  Check out the Iowa Early Learning Standards @ http://www.state.ia.us/earlychildhood/files/early_learning_standarda/IELS_2013.pdf