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Iowa’s model of accreditation and school improvement utilizes state and federal law and rule to position the Iowa Department of Education (Department), area education agencies (AEAs), local education agencies (LEAs) and other agencies and programs to engage in continuous improvement. Differentiated Accountability is the process developed in 2015-2016 to move schools and districts further in improvement efforts. For more information, see the Differentiated Accountability System webpage.

Iowa Code section 256.11 (10)(a)(3) directs the Iowa Department of Education (Department) to provide a public report annually of findings of noncompliance and required corrective actions for each accredited school and school district. Below is a summary and listing by district or school of the noncompliance items.

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School Improvement Team

The School Improvement Team assists accredited districts, accredited nonpublic schools and AEAs with school improvement efforts and accreditation standards.

The following tables show the team member's monitoring assignments for schools and districts within an AEA and for specific topics. Contact the team member assigned to the AEA or specific topic with questions.

AEA Assignments

AEA AssignmentName & Phone
Green Hills AEAAndrea Danker
515-669-8157
Keystone AEABuffy Campbell
515-954-8651
Heartland AEAEric Heitz
515-326-1018
Central Rivers AEADennis McClain
515-822-2554
Great Prairie AEASara Nickel
515-971-7558
Grant Wood AEATom Bredfield
515-360-5131
Mississippi Bend AEAMickolyn Clapper
515-745-3385
Northwest AEA and Prairie Lakes AEAPam Spangler
515-229-6425


Specific Topic Assignments

TopicName & Phone
AEA AccreditationTina Wahlert
515-326-0162
Annual Notices and Deadlines CalendarPam Spangler
515-229-6425
Charter Schools

Barbara Ohlund

515-681-2310

Tom Bredfield
515-360-5131

charters@iowa.gov

Desk AuditsAll
Equity Education and Section 504 Equity Reviews

SueAnn Johnson
515-336-3942

Eric Heitz
515-326-1018

Exempt SchoolsBuffy Campbell
515-954-8651
Home Schooling (Private Education)

Buffy Campbell
515-954-8651

Dennis McClain
515-822-2554

Nonpublic School Accreditation/Independent Accreditation

Andrea Danker
515-669-8157

Eric Heitz
515-326-1018

Dennis McClain
515-822-2554

Online Schools

Dennis McClain
515-822-2554

Stacie Stokes
515-210-5288

Open Enrollment

Mickolyn Clapper
515-745-3385

Sara Nickel
515-971-7558

Specially Accredited Schools

Andrea Danker
515-669-8157

Dennis McClain
515-822-2554

Title 1, Section 1003 - School Improvement (ESSA)

Heidi Anthony
515-326-1029

Sarah Seney
515-494-9534

Stacie Stokes
515-210-5288

WaiversEric Heitz
515-326-1018
Whole Grade SharingPam Spangler
515-229-6425
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