Reminder – extended school year updated process: To improve how services are documented, a new process for AEA support staff providers will be used this year. All providers must complete the Google Form by April 25 to identify students eligible for ESY. This memo explains the ESY expectations and should be reviewed before filling out the form. Please mark your calendar to complete this on time and avoid repeated reminders. ESY services are part of your regular contract, so plan your schedule accordingly to ensure coverage. If you have any questions, contact your regional administrator.
Documenting AEA services & activities: This video was created after gathering input from more staff. Please take a few minutes to watch this overview (you may be able to speed it up to 1.5x). This topic will be discussed further during discipline meetings in the fall. Here is a link to the document for anyone who would like to take notes.
Recruitment update: The hiring process continues for qualified candidates to join the special education team. There are still openings for SLPs, School Psychologists, School Social Workers and Special Education Consultants (PK-12). Efforts are also underway to post positions for BCBAs. If you know strong candidates for any of these roles, please encourage them to apply. River Hills School is also hiring teachers and paraeducators. It offers a supportive environment and a great opportunity to develop expertise in working with students with significant disabilities.
LEA admin updates: Please check out the April updates so you know what we’ve shared with them.
Important update: Change impacting your access to Iowa Department of Education Portal
Action steps/key points: Everyone with an active account in the Iowa Education Portal (EdPortal) has received an email regarding the transition to using Okta (id.iowa.gov) instead of A&A when logging into EdPortal beginning April 7, 2025. Next steps:
- Before April 4, 2025: Confirm that your email address in EdPortal is up-to-date. If it needs to be updated, view the instructions.
- Confirm or create an Okta account on id.iowa.gov with your current email address. View the instructions.
- Video: ID.iowa.gov set up when no account
- You may choose whatever sign-in and verification method works best for you – above is just an example.
- EdPortal will be unavailable* the weekend of April 4-6 for the transition – this means you will not be able to get into ACHIEVE.
- Monday, April 7, go to portal.ed.iowa.gov as normal. Use your Okta login credentials (email address and password for id.iowa.gov) to log into the EdPortal.
Have questions? Contact EdPortal support at (515) 725-2040 or visit https://portal.ed.iowa.gov/.
*An additional note that is not listed in the email, the portal will likely be down from sometime on April 4 (the exact time not confirmed) until it comes back up on April 7 with the Okta login. A notification will be posted in EdPortal closer to the date but we know sometimes folks work on IEPs over the weekends, so wanted to let people know. If someone has an April 7 meeting, it may be best not to wait until that weekend to work on it.
Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.
- Special Education Updates
- Updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel)