Regional School and School District Learning Needs

The Agency’s needs assessment has generated the following HIGH PRIORITY recommendations.

(a) planning efforts to fully implement the Iowa Core;

(b) reducing initiatives and increasing coherence around the teaching and learning priorities;

(c) reaching students not actively engaged in the school's curriculum and connecting students socially
     and emotionally to school (developing caring learning environments i.e., learning supports);

(d) focusing on improving the academic performance, or reducing the achievement gap, of students from
     poverty and low income households as well as students with disabilities;

(e) improving reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and career preparation (evidence-based
     instruction, rigor and relevance, formative assessment, and summative assessments);

(f) implementing professional development which includes data-driven collaborative teaming, lesson study, 
    and high quality feedback; and

(g) supporting the development, implementation, and ongoing professional development for school district
     teacher leadership programs

Teacher, school, and school district teaching and learning needs are identified by collecting and analyzing needs assessment data from the following sources:  surveying school leaders, local education agency comprehensive improvement plans, local education agency annual progress reports, building level content area focus groups, superintendents, district-wide administrators, principals, teachers, media staff, technology coordinators, school counselors, and statewide area education agency survey feedback.  (§273.15 Code of Iowa)