JOHNSTON, Iowa — The Area Education Agency Task Force Study Committee met for the first time Monday to assess and review the impact a new law has had on Iowa's Area Education Agencies (AEAs).
The task force concluded it needs more time to stabilize services for students after the first wave of changes from earlier this year when 60% of funding for media services, like online remote learning platforms, went to school districts.
The law signed in March still has future implications on the quality of education districts will provide.
That's because next academic year, each school district will have to choose whether to keep 10% of special education funds to use within the school district, while the remaining 90% would stay with the AEA to continue providing its services.
AEAs operate as intermediate, regional corporations that offer instructional services, such as books and printing, media services, like online remote learning and special education support for districts.
Cindy Yelick, the Heartland Area Education Agency chief administrator told Local 5 News: "The school is saying: 'Hey, I liked the way this worked before, and why is it different?' So I would just say it has been a lot of uncertainty, it's caused staff to really reflect on what they are really doing."
Funding shifts between AEAs and school districts impact how much that agency makes, and in turn, how many resources it provides to students in a timely manner.
Next fall, school districts will also take full control over funding of media services. Yelick also said the future changes in media services funding could also give school districts more flexibility with their staffing.
Across the state's nine AEAs, over 400 staff have lost jobs, and at Heartland, Yelick says 80 employees have been impacted by the law over the past year.