Iowa Board of Educational Examiners

The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners provides leadership in practitioner licensure; professional development for local schools and school districts, area education agencies, and community colleges; and practitioner rights, responsibilities, practices, and ethics.

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Mission

The mission of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners is to establish and enforce rigorous standards for Iowa educational practitioners to effectively address the needs of students.

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Beliefs Statements

We believe:

  • that an effective licensure system is efficient, innovative and responsive to needs of students and educators.
  • in collaboration with other organizations to improve professional development and preparation programs.
  • that education is a profession.
  • that establishing ethical standards protects students and practitioners.
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Meeting Dates, Agendas & Documents

The Board's meeting location, unless otherwise noted, is the Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E 14th St, Des Moines, IA 50319.

2025

Aug. 8, 2025

June 19-20, 2025

May 16, 2025

April 11, 2025

March 14, 2025

Feb. 14, 2025

Jan. 17, 2025

2024

Dec. 13, 2024

Nov. 15, 2024

Oct. 22, 2024

Sept. 13, 2024

Aug. 9, 2024

June 20-21, 2024 - Board Retreat and Meeting

May 17, 2024

April 19, 2024

March 22, 2024

Feb. 23, 2024

Jan. 11, 2024

2023

Dec. 15, 2023

Nov. 8, 2023

Oct. 13, 2023 - via Zoom

Sept. 8, 2023

Aug. 2, 2023

June 27, 2023 - via Zoom

May 19, 2023

April 21, 2023

March 22, 2023 - via Zoom

Feb. 24, 2023

Jan. 19, 2023

2022

Dec. 16, 2022

Nov. 9, 2022 - via Zoom

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Board Members

Chad Janzen, Chair

Sergeant Bluff-Luton CSD, Superintendent

Chad Janzen is the superintendent of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District, where he has served since July 2022.  Previously he served as the superintendent in Rock Valley, IA.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from Augustana University in 1997.  He began his teaching career at Los Angeles Lutheran Jr/Sr High School where he taught social studies for three years and served as principal for three years.  During this time, he earned his master’s degree in school administration from California State University, Northridge.  He continued his teaching degree in Baltic, South Dakota for three years upon returning to the Midwest.  In 2006 he returned to administration serving as the principal and superintendent in Canistota, South Dakota.  While in Canistota, he earned his education specialist degree at the University of Sioux Falls. Chad and his wife, Lou Ann, a registered nurse, live in Sergeant Bluff.  They have two sons.

Kathy Behrens, Vice Chair

Carroll, Kuemper Catholic Schools, Teacher

Kathy Behrens appointed to the board in 2015 is a 4/5 Resource teacher at Kuemper Catholic Schools in Carroll. She completed her graduate and post-graduate work at Buena Vista University. At Kuemper Catholic Schools, Kathy has served in several leadership roles. One as a member of the Building Assistance Team and another as a member of the Building Leadership Team. She has also served on the Heartland AEA Advisory Team and the Heartland Accreditation Team. Kathy has endorsements in Reading, Early Childhood and Coaching. Kathy and her husband, Mark, live on a farm south of Carroll where they raise corn, soybeans and wine grapes. They have three grown children, Katie, Kora and Kyle and a granddaughter, Kaycee. In her spare time Kathy loves running, walking, biking, Cyclone athletics and spending time with her granddaughter.

Pam Bleam 

Manson Northwest Webster CSD, Elementary Counselor

Pam Bleam grew up on a turkey farm near Manson, Iowa.  She attended BVU in Storm Lake with a BA in Elementary Education and later earned her MA from Morningside College in school counseling.  She has her administrative license from Prairie Lakes Leadership Academy in Pocahontas.  She currently is in her 35th year at Manson Northwest Webster Elementary School in Barnum, Iowa.  She is married to Brad Bleam the music teacher at MNW who also farms near Manson. They have 3 children: Maison, Canon & Riley, and Tyson & Fairon.  She loves spending time with her 4 grandchildren, biking, kayaking, sewing and reading.  Pam has been in education for 35 years and has loved every minute of it.  She is currently serving as the elementary school counselor for MNW.  Her most important leadership role is the successful implementation of the PBIS framework at her Preschool- 6th grade MNW Elementary School.

Tim Bower

Fairfield, Public Member

Tim Bower was appointed to the Board of Educational Examiners in December of 2019. Mr. Bower has held a number of senior level positions in global corporations and has been the President of the Nelson Company in Fairfield Iowa since May 2018. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 1984 and his Executive MBA from the University of Iowa in 1995. Tim was elected to the Muscatine CSD School Board in September of 2009 and was on the board until September of 2018 when he resigned to relocate to Fairfield of which he is a graduate of Fairfield High School. He was elected to the Fairfield CSD School Board in November 2019. Tim held a Director position for district 9 for the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) until September 2018, was a member of IASB’s Legislative Resolutions Committee, Legal Service Fund Committee and other panels. Tim was appointed to the Governor’s Southeast Iowa STEM Advisory Board for six years. Tim and his wife Karen live in Fairfield and have three adult children, one of which is an educator and one grandchild. Tim and his wife are active members of their church, having held leadership roles. Karen and Tim have completed training as Stephen Ministers and Leaders. In their spare time, they visit family and attend Iowa State University events.

Miranda Brus

Brody Middle School, Middle School Counselor

Miranda Brus is a school counselor at Brody Middle School in Des Moines where she has served since 2023. In this role, she works with 620 in grades six through eight using the ASCA National Model of School Counseling. Miranda serves as the 504 Coordinator and ISASP Coordinator for her building. Prior to her current position, Miranda worked as a school counselor for sixth graders and at-risk youth at Perry Middle School in Perry, Iowa, for 13 years. Miranda received her undergraduate degree in secondary education from Drake University, and her master’s degree in school counseling from the University of Iowa. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa with her husband Jake and her children Hattie and Harrison. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling and attending her children’s activities. She is an Iowa native, originally from Denison, Iowa. 

Davis Eidahl 

Solon CSD, Superintendent

Davis Eidahl is the superintendent of the Solon Community School District, where he has served since 2015. He earned his BA from Coe College and Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Drake University in 2011. Prior to his work with Solon Schools, Dr. Eidahl has served as a teacher or administrator in Williamsburg, Davis County and Ottumwa. He also served as the Southeast Iowa site Director of Reading Recovery, providing multiple districts with Reading Recovery training and support, and has been a regular instructor for the Iowa Superintendents Finance and Leadership Consortium (ISFLC) in the area of employment law. Dr. Eidahl lives in Solon with his wife, Jodie, and enjoys spending time with his two sons and daughter.

Dr. Michael Lock

Des Moines, Public Member

Dr. Michael Lock was raised on a farm in Packwood, Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa. In 2004, he graduated from Illinois College of Optometry with a degree in Optometry. Michael was inspired to pursue optometry with the desire to use his trade in impoverished countries.  Michael and his wife Jenessa began Lock Family Eye Care in 2006.  Michael has also pastored Karenni Christian Fellowship since 2010 , the Karenni people are refugees from Burma (Myanmar).  Michael and Jenessa have 5 sons.  

Kristen Rickey 

West Delaware County CSD, Superintendent and Director of Special Education

Kristen Rickey is the superintendent and Director of Special Education in the West Delaware County Community School District, where she has served since 2010. She earned her BS in Psychology and MA in Special Education at the University of Iowa. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at the University of Iowa in 2005. Prior to her work with West Delaware Schools, Dr. Rickey has served as a teacher or administrator in Marion, Cedar Rapids and Tripoli School Districts. She also founded a professional development consulting firm to provide guidance to districts across the country in effective strategies for working toward more inclusive education practices. She has served in an advisory role to the field of education in various capacities, including the Iowa Virtual Clearinghouse for Work Based Learning, School Administrators of Iowa Professional Standards Committee, Northeast Iowa Regional Planning Partnership and Executive Leaders Steering Committee. Dr. Rickey lives in Manchester with her husband, Glen. They enjoy spending time with their two daughters and sons-in-law and one granddaughter.

Eric St Clair 

Iowa Department of Education, Administrative Consultant, Policy and Finance

Eric St Clair is the legislative liaison for the Iowa Department of Education. He has experience and expertise in a range of fields including concurrent enrollment, career and technical education, and various higher education areas including community college accreditation, finance. and policy. Originally from southeast Wisconsin, he attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2010. He subsequently earned a Masters in Public Policy degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2013. Eric and his wife, Molly, live in Ankeny and have three boys - Isaac, Sam and Theo.

Ryan Weldon

Ankeny, Public Member

Ryan Weldon is an Ankeny resident along with his wife and four children. After attending UNI for one year, Ryan moved to Des Moines and began working in the insurance industry. Since then, he's expanded into fashion, technology, marketing, finance, non-profit, and banking, working within large corporations, family businesses, and start-ups. Along the way, Ryan finished his Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Leadership and Management from Liberty University. In 2019, Ryan was elected to serve on the Ankeny School Board where he served as Vice President of the Board starting in November 2020, and then began serving as President of the Board from July 2021 to the end of his four year term in November of 2023. Ryan was appointed to serve on the BoEE in December of 2023. 

Dan Zylstra

Pella Christian, Head of Schools

Dan Zylstra is the Head of Schools at Pella Christian schools, where he has served since 2022.  Dan earned a BA in Music Education from Dordt University, a MA in Educational Administration from the University of Illinois, and a EdD in Educational Leadership and Policy from Indiana University. Prior to his work at Pella Christian, Dan served in both urban and rural communities as a public school music teacher, a principal, and a superintendent in the state of Indiana. Dan has served on the board for the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, the Community Foundation of Pulaski County, and currently serves as Vice President of the Iowa Association of Christian Schools. He lives in Pella with his wife, Lisa and their four children.

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