Author: cvanbuskirk

ACHIEVE data tech update: This May, Central Rivers AEA data technicians will be reaching out to local school district contacts to request updates on student rosters. They’ll be checking for students who have changed buildings or exited the district to ensure the ACHIEVE system is accurate. This clean-up will help special education teachers start the next school year with more accurate class lists and improve data ahead of October’s official count. AEA service providers will also receive their rosters this spring to support this process. If school staff have questions and you’re not sure how to help, please reach out to your Regional Administrator. This is a new process at Central Rivers AEA, and once it’s in place, it should be a helpful improvement for schools and staff.

Centers of Excellence (CoE): Central Rivers AEA is partnering with Keystone AEA to launch one of Iowa’s first Centers of Excellence starting in the 2025–26 school year. The initial focus will be on Early ACCESS services. To learn more, please watch [this short video] that explains the concept and what’s ahead for our teams. This is an exciting new opportunity for our agency and the families we serve.

Special Ed Services for 2025-26: Please review the May Superintendent Report for updates on the continued evolution of our special education services. The report includes reminders and new information about “program enhancement services,” which are additional supports available for a fee beginning next school year. More details will be shared at the May 22 meeting, with a deeper dive planned this fall. In the meantime, please continue promoting upcoming autism training opportunities to both teachers and administrators.

Student records guidance for end of year 2025 (summer scanning update): Central Rivers AEA is currently undertaking a major student records project that will continue through most of the upcoming school year. The goal is to phase out outdated and hard-to-access records while building a more secure and user-friendly records management system.

Staff are asked to review the updated records guidance and manage their working files accordingly over the summer. In most cases, office staff will not be scanning stacks of working files this summer. Instead, staff should store their files in Google Drive, following the updated guidance.

One exception is direct service log notes, which should still be handled separately from other working file materials. Once the new records system is in place, additional steps for managing digital files will be shared. Staff may also find that some items previously saved are no longer necessary under the new guidance. Thank you for your attention to this important update.

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)

Accreditation update: Central Rivers AEA extends sincere thanks to all staff who contributed to the recent accreditation preparation and site visit. The visit was a great opportunity to showcase the high-quality work happening across the agency. One of the featured presentations focused on the Intensive Literacy course, which was well received and gave staff the chance to highlight meaningful work taking place in partnership with schools.

Professional Development update: The agency recently learned that a re-submission window will be available for some professional development offerings that were not approved in the second submission round. This window will open on May 15 and close on June 6. Central Rivers AEA will take advantage of this opportunity to expand the number of approved PD sessions to better meet district needs.

In addition, the statewide AEA system is creating a shared collection of training materials and promotional flyers. This will help AEAs across the state offer consistent, high-quality professional development and make it easier to share resources.

Live documents, helpful resources and guides can be found on our staff website.

• Ed Services/Media Updates
• Updates with CRAEA Ed Services & Media doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel)

We want to take a moment to recognize our retiring superintendents! All were honored by their peers last week during the monthly superintendents’ meeting.

• Michael Crozier, Northwood-Kensett & St. Ansgar CSDs
• Doug Gee, Clear Lake CSD
• Robert Hughes, Grundy Center CSD
• Wayne Kroneman, West Hancock CSD

Thank you all for your years of services and dedication to children, families, educators, schools and communities. Happy retirement!

As we look forward to the 2025-2026 school year, we’re pleased to share the results of our recent negotiations with our employee associations. Your dedication and hard work are the heart of Central Rivers AEA, and we are committed to providing fair and competitive compensation while ensuring the long-term financial health of our agency.

Contract approvals & distribution

The Board of Directors has approved employment contracts for all employee groups (Certified, Classified, NUSS and Administrative) at their April 2 meeting. Electronic distribution of these contracts will occur the week of April 7. Please note the following review and return deadlines:

• Certified Staff: 21 days from receipt.
• Classified, NUSS, and Administrative Staff: 10 days from receipt.

We are also excited to offer a $500 retention bonus to all returning staff who execute and return their 2025-2026 contracts within five (5) business days of receipt, subject to certain conditions. Please refer to the separate article for complete details on the $500 signing incentive.

Navigating financial landscapes

This year’s negotiations goal was to achieve a settlement that exceeded the State Supplemental Aid (SSA) and aimed for a 3% total package increase, demonstrating our commitment to your financial well-being. We also proposed a return to two-year agreements, similar to past practice, to enhance our ability to respond to future financial uncertainties.

Settlement highlights

Certified Staff (CREA – PENDING RATIFICATION):

• A two-year agreement (2025-2026 & 2026-2027) was reached.
• For 2025-2026, a total package increase of 3.13%, representing a $1,062,138 investment, includes a $600 base salary increase, step movement where applicable, and increased employer contributions for health, dental and vision insurance.
• The average salary increase is $2,149, with a mean salary increase of $1,855.
• Certified staff will also receive $120 per year for cell phone reimbursement. No submission or approval is needed. This will now be part of your annual salary.
• Mileage reimbursement will increase from $0.42 to $0.46 per mile (pending Board approval).
• We will begin the multi-year process of transitioning 204 day contracts to 190 day contracts for Educational Services Consultants, Multi Occupation Coordinators and Work-Based Learning Coordinators. We will reduce from 204 to 200 days for the 25-26 school year. We intend for negotiated salary increases to offset this reduction in contracted days.
• The 2026-2027 agreement includes a 2.5% total package increase.

Classified Staff (CWA):

• A two-year agreement (2025-2026 & 2026-2027) was reached.
• For 2025-2026, a 3.64% total package increase, totaling $111,396 includes a $0.70 per hour increase, applied equitably across the salary schedule, and the same insurance contribution adjustments as Certified staff.
• The 2026-2027 agreement includes a 2.5% total package increase.

Non-Union Support Staff (NUSS):

• A 3.00% total package increase, representing $92,059 was agreed upon, along with the same insurance contribution adjustments as Certified staff.

Administrative Staff:

• A 1.19% total package increase was reached, representing $36,325, along with the same insurance contribution adjustments as Certified staff.

Financial Summary

• Estimated new money (X.X% SSA) = $XXX,XXX
  • School Supplemental Aid (SSA) hasn’t been set by the legislature yet. With funding changes, it’s a bit harder to calculate, but this is our best estimate for now.
• Total cost (All funds) = $1,301,918

We truly appreciate everything you do as part of the Central Rivers AEA team. Your hard work and dedication to supporting students, families, and communities does not go unnoticed. Though we’ve faced challenges, we’re confident in a strong future for our agency – thanks to your dedication and hard work!

We’re excited to announce that the Central Rivers AEA Board of Education has approved an early contract signing incentive for all Central Rivers AEA staff members!

This incentive is a direct reflection of the Board’s appreciation for your ongoing dedication and commitment to the students and families we serve. It’s also a way to recognize the exceptional work you’ve done, particularly during the challenging times we’ve navigated together.

Here are the key details regarding this incentive:

• Amount: $500 per eligible staff member.
• Payment Date: This incentive will be paid out as a separate deposit in June 2025. Please note that standard taxes will be withheld from this payment.
• Eligibility: To receive this incentive, you must:
  • Accept and return your employment contract within five business days of receiving it. (Please note: You still have the standard 10 days for Classified, NUSS and Administrative staff and 21 days for Certified staff to sign your contract/NOC, but only five business days to receive the incentive).
  • Have received an employment contract/NOC during the 2024-25 school year and remain employed with CRAEA through the 2025-2026 school year.
• Proration: The $500 incentive will be prorated based on your FTE for the 2025-2026 school year, if you work less than 1.0 FTE.
• Ineligibility: Staff members who have received an early notification incentive are ineligible for this retention incentive.
• Recoupment: If you receive this incentive but do not complete your 2025-2026 contract, we will recoup a prorated amount for each month you did not work.

To confirm your understanding of these requirements and to receive the incentive, please sign and accept your contract within the five-day time frame. If you choose not to receive the incentive, please wait until after the five-day time frame to sign your contract, or communicate your decision to the Human Resources Office.

We understand that you will have to wait until June for the incentive to be paid out, but hopefully, it comes at a time that can help you enjoy the summer! We are truly grateful for your continued commitment to our agency.

Central Rivers AEA is launching a new way to sign contracts and Notices of Conditions (NOCs). Moving forward, all signing will take place through Web Link, where you can securely access, sign and store your documents for future reference.

To help you navigate this new process, we’ve attached a step-by-step instruction guide and a video tutorial. Please review the instructions carefully, especially the sections highlighted in red, as they contain key details. If you need extra support, this tutorial video will walk you through how to access, view and sign your contract in Web Link.

You’ll receive an email notification when your contract is ready for signing. If you run into any issues, contact the help desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or call 319-273-8231. Thank you for your attention and cooperation with this new process!

An all-staff meeting and retirement celebration will be held on Thursday, May 22 in Cedar Falls, beginning at 9:00 am. Social time begins at 8:30 am and lunch will be provided to staff. After lunch, staff members assigned to a region will meet at the Cedar Falls office, while all other staff may return to their worksites. If you have questions about what your schedule looks like that day, please reach out to your supervisor for clarification. More details to follow in the May edition of The Channel, including a list of your retiring colleagues!

The open enrollment period for insurance* begins Monday, April 28 and ends on Friday, May 23. *All benefit-eligible employees must enroll or waive coverage, even if you have no changes or are resigning/retiring! Some other important details to note:

• Beginning Monday, April 28, you will have access to EASE via the employee dashboard in ClassLink.  
• Updates to insurance will be shared during the benefits insurance presentation for all staff, held virtually on Tuesday, April 29 at 4:00 pm.
• We will allow time for questions during the Zoom, or you can email your questions in advance to benefits@centralriversaea.org.
• The meeting will be recorded and posted on our benefits website for staff that cannot attend.
• Zoom link: https://centralriversaea.zoom.us/j/92611601851

If you have questions regarding your insurance, please contact Kevin Klobassa, Benefits Specialist, at (319)-273-8202 or via email at benefits@centralriversaea.org.

After a decade of service at Central Rivers AEA, Cari Teske has announced that she will be leaving her role as Director of Media Services at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

“Working at Central Rivers AEA has been an incredible privilege. I’m grateful for the amazing colleagues and the opportunity to support educators and students across our region.”

Cari will be transitioning to a new role as the Elementary Principal at Hubbard-Radcliffe Elementary, beginning July 1. While we will miss her leadership, we are grateful for her many contributions and wish her the very best in this next chapter!

Plans for the transition of leadership in Media Services will be announced in the near future. In the meantime, please join us in thanking Cari for her hard work and commitment to supporting students, teachers and schools.

We would like to welcome an incoming school psychologist and speech-language pathologist for the 2025-26 school year!

If you’re leaving the agency, please make sure to return all tech items issued to you during your employment. This includes:

• iPads
• Portable and stationary monitors
• Presentation clickers
• Extra laptop chargers
• Laptop bags
• Any other related equipment

Where to return items

• Cedar Falls office: Help Desk
• Marshalltown office: Terry Davis
• Clear Lake office: Front desk – Patsy Luker or Laura Rinnels

Additional notes

• Hotspots: Return directly to Laura Rinnels at the Clear Lake office.
• Laptops & chargers:
  • Most staff: Include your laptop with your tech return.
  • River Hills & Youth Shelter/Detention Center staff: Return laptops directly to your supervisor.
• Other items (e.g., fobs, keys): Return to HR at the Cedar Falls Office or your closest AEA office.

Important

Label each item with your name on a sticky note. If you have any questions, contact the Help Desk or call (319) 273-8231.

All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on April 18, in observance of Good Friday. Please update your voicemail and set an out-of-office email reply to let others know about the closure.

Voicemail example:

Hello, this is (your name). All Central Rivers AEA offices are closed on April 18 in observance of Good Friday. Please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will get back to you when offices reopen Monday, April 21. Thank you.

Email “away” message example:

Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices are closed on April 18 in observance of Good Friday. I will respond to your email upon my return when offices reopen on Monday, April 21. Thank you.

The power of voice-controlled assistive technology

Voice-controlled technology is making life easier and more accessible for people with disabilities. Devices like smart speakers and virtual assistants (Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Google Assistant) allow users to control lights, adjust the temperature, manage schedules, and make calls – without needing to press buttons or use touchscreens.

Beyond convenience, these tools enhance safety. Voice commands can set alarms, call for help, or contact emergency services in case of a fall. They also work with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, helping individuals with speech or mobility challenges communicate more effectively.

As these technologies improve, they continue to expand independence – handling tasks like reading messages, managing smart home systems, and providing real-time health updates. With ongoing advancements, voice-controlled devices are opening new doors for people with disabilities, making everyday life more accessible and empowering.

Check out these articles for more examples of how voice-controlled assistive technology can support individuals with disabilities. 

• How AI and Voice Assistants Are Revolutionizing Accessibility
• 10 Ways Assistive Technology, Such as Smart Speakers, Promote Independence for People with Disabilities
• Empowering Lives: The Role of Voice-Controlled Devices for Individuals with Disabilities

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Flexible assessment: supporting diverse learners through Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

One key idea in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is giving students different ways to show what they know. Standard tests, like written exams, don’t always capture every student’s abilities. Using flexible assessments helps create a more inclusive classroom where all students can succeed.

Examples of flexible assessment in action

• Multimodal projects: Allow students to create videos, infographics or podcasts instead of traditional essays.
• Oral presentations: Give students the option to verbally explain concepts rather than writing a report.
• Performance-based assessments: Use role-playing, skits or simulations to demonstrate learning.
• Student choice in assessments: Let students choose from a menu of options to demonstrate their understanding in a way that works best for them.

How to get started

You don’t need to completely change your curriculum to use flexible assessments. Start small by giving students a choice in how they complete one assignment, then adjust based on their feedback. This approach helps students stay engaged, feel supported and have a fair chance to show what they’ve learned.

Check out these articles for additional information on flexible assessment in the UDL model. 

• UDL Tips for Assessment (CAST)
• How to Use Universal Design for Learning to Create Assessments