Gov. Kim Reynolds’ plans to overhaul how Iowa public school districts receive special education services have thrust the state’s nine Area Education Agencies into the spotlight.
Reynolds announced during her Condition of the State address in early January her intention to introduce legislation that would change how Area Education Agencies — or AEAs — operate, offer services and receive funding.
Since releasing the bill Jan. 30, it has undergone a major amendment after public feedback and will likely continue to see changes as lawmakers in both the House and Senate express concerns. The Senate version, SSSB 3073, advanced last week out of a subcommittee. The House version, HSB 542, has stalled.
But what are Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, and why are they under a microscope? Here’s what you need to know:
What is an Area Education Agency (AEA)?
Iowa’s nine Area Education Agencies — Northwest, Prairie Lakes, Central Rivers, Keystone, Mississippi Bend, Grant Wood, Heartland, Green Hills and Great Prairie — are tasked with providing special education and other services to public and accredited private schools across the state.