The Channel

We would like to welcome incoming staff for the 2025-26 school year!

We are proud to share that Central Rivers AEA met all requirements for both IDEA Part B and IDEA Part C as part of the annual determination process required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Each year, the Office of Special Education Programs requires the Iowa Department of Education to review every Area Education Agency’s compliance with and implementation of IDEA, and CRAEA met requirements across the board.

This achievement reflects the daily work, shared responsibility, and collective commitment of staff across our agency. Through coordinated roles, services, and teams supported by the communication and collaboration that connect them, we build strong systems that consistently deliver for children, families, and districts.

Strong results across early ACCESS (IDEA Part C)

Our Part C indicators reflect exceptional performance across all required areas:

• Timely services: Achieved 100%, demonstrating that eligible infants and toddlers received services within required timelines.
• Timely transition planning: Reached 100%, ensuring early and coordinated planning for children approaching age three.
• Transition notification to education agencies: Achieved 100%, supporting seamless communication to prepare for transitions to Part B services.
• Timely evaluations & IFSPs: Reached 98.86%, reflecting timely completion of evaluations and development of Individualized Family Service Plans.
• Timely transition meetings: Achieved 98.84%, showing strong coordination to support smooth transitions from Part C to Part B.

In multiple areas, Central Rivers AEA met or exceeded state averages, demonstrating both consistency and growth over the past year.

Continued excellence in school-age services (IDEA Part B)

Our Part B indicators also reflect strong, sustained performance over time:

• Timely initial evaluations: Improved to 100%, reflecting that students were evaluated within required timelines after parent consent for an initial special education evaluation.
• Timely transition from Part C to Part B: Increased to 99.32%, demonstrating strong coordination to ensure eligible children transitioning from Early ACCESS have an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthday.
• Postsecondary goals in IEPs: Remained consistently high at 99.87%, showing that IEPs for students age 14 and older include appropriate, measurable postsecondary goals to support successful transitions beyond high school.

These determinations are more than percentages. They speak to the timely access to services our teams provide for children and families, the strong partnerships we maintain with districts, the trust placed in our systems and practices, and our collective commitment to continuous improvement.

Together, we are not only meeting requirements. We are building and sustaining practices that make a meaningful difference. Thank you for the work you do every day. This success belongs to all of us.

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

• Updates with CRAEA Special Education doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information)
• Special Education Updates

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

• Updates with CRAEA Ed Services & Media doc (this will include every update from editions of The Channel and important mid-month information)
• Ed Services/Media Updates

Central Rivers AEA, in partnership with Keystone AEA, launched the Staff Tech Hub, a resource to help you use technology effectively in your job!

This quick, living document is updated monthly and focuses on three key areas:

1. Assistive Technology
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
3. Practical Tech Tips

The goal is to keep you informed, build your confidence, and share tools and strategies to make your work easier and more impactful.Check out what’s new this month and start growing your tech skills! Reach out to Tiffanie Zaugg, Assistive Technology/AI Specialist, with questions.

Reduce stress & increase peace

Want more peace and less stress in your work and/or personal life? Core Energy Coaching can help! Central Rivers AEA offers free 1:1 coaching sessions with certified well-being coach Dr. Leslie Moore on Zoom. Coaching creates the space for individuals to recognize and shift out of Level 1 and 2 energy – where fear, doubt and conflict often take the lead – and move toward more empowering states like Level 5 and 6, where collaboration, possibility and purpose begin to drive thought and action. By helping people identify limiting beliefs, release blame and reframe challenges, coaching fosters a mindset rooted in curiosity, compassion and shared success. The result is greater clarity, confidence and connection – both internally and across teams. Schedule your session online!

Enhance your well-being & earn $250

Central Rivers AEA continues to encourage our staff to enhance their well-being by offering a $250 incentive for submitting evidence of understanding and skills in one micro-credential related to INspired Leadership! To learn more about microcredentials, review the Micro-credential Explanation document. To learn about and/or register for a microcredential you are interested in, choose and select: 1) Awareness of Internal Energy, 2) 4 Key Mindsets, and 3) Overcoming Internal Energy Blocks [requires both prerequisite microcredentials above]. Evidence submitted will be reviewed by Dr. Moore. If you need to create an account, have questions about microcredentials or aren’t sure how to sign up, contact Kay Schmalen at kschmalen@centralriversaea.org.

Over the next few weeks, your email signature will be updated automatically*. The information in your signature comes from the staff directory, including your email, photo, title, phone number and office location. Please take a moment to check the staff directory to be sure everything is correct. If something is missing or incorrect, contact your region’s administrative assistant.

*You will receive an automated email when your signature is updated. Once you get it, refresh your web browser to see the new signature. Here is an example of what the new email signatures will look like:

If you need help (such as removing your photo or adding credentials or a phone number) please contact Contessa Van Buskirk or Phil Hendricks.

Don’t forget to change your voicemail greeting and schedule an “away” message to your email for Monday, January 19 so that callers and/or e-mailers know all Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day.

Voicemail example:

Hello, this is (your name). All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please leave your name, number and a brief message and I will get back to you when offices reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, January 20. Thank you.

Email “away” message example:

Thank you for your email. All Central Rivers AEA offices will be closed on Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I will respond to your email upon my return when offices reopen on Tuesday, January 20. Thank you.

If you need assistance with either task, please contact the Central Rivers AEA Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@centralriversaea.org or 319-273-8231.

As part of Iowa HF 2612’s updated requirements for AEA governance and board representation, the most recent board election concluded with the addition of four new members to the CRAEA Board of Directors.

The following superintendents have been elected to serve on the CRAEA Board:

• David Hill, Superintendent, Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District
• Jenn Peter, Superintendent, Belmond-Klemme Community School District
• Dr. Cynthia Phillips, Superintendent, Independence Community School District
• Dr. Theron Schutte, Superintendent, Marshalltown Community School District

We appreciate their willingness to serve and look forward to their participation in the shared governance of the agency.

AEA board elections follow a structured process outlined in Iowa law. The CRAEA Board consists of nine members who serve staggered four-year terms to support continuity and orderly transitions. Under HF 2612, representation requirements shifted this year, resulting in multiple seats being filled simultaneously.

Because of the changes required by HF 2612, four long-serving CRAEA board members concluded their service at the end of the election cycle. We extend sincere appreciation for their dedication, leadership, and contributions to the agency!

• Kathy Enslin, Director District 3
• Dr. Darshini Jayawardena, Director District 4
• Maureen Hanson, Director District 6
• Bryan Burton, Director District 8

The four incoming members now join the five continuing board members to complete the nine-member governing body charged with providing oversight, ensuring compliance with state requirements, and supporting the agency’s long-term mission. The newly seated board convened for their first regularly scheduled meeting this week. As always, board meetings are open to the public, and staff are welcome to follow the work of the board as decisions and priorities for the coming year take shape.

Central Rivers AEA remains grateful for the partnership of all board members—past and present—and for the collaborative governance structure that supports our work with districts, educators, and students across the region.