Touching the lives of children,
students, families and educators since 1975

Heartland Area Education Agency works in partnership with public and accredited private schools to provide educational services, programs and resources for improving student achievement and building cultural competence. Heartland AEA staff members serve preschool children, K-12 students, families, educators and sometimes entire communities. Heartland AEA also funds about 180 special education staff positions for the Des Moines Public Schools.

Heartland AEA's staff members, 70 percent of whom are licensed educators, aid student achievement in many ways. They teach students; work with preschoolers; consult with teachers, principals and superintendents; meet with parents; lead school-community meetings; and undertake many other tasks to improve teaching and learning.

Service Since 1975

Heartland AEA has the largest student enrollment (over 130,000) of Iowa's 10 area education agencies. AEAs were created by the 1974 Iowa Legislature and opened a year later to ensure efficient, effective and equal educational opportunities for all children.

The agency is a public entity funded by federal and state aid, legislatively controlled property tax, grants, course tuition and the sale of educational products. Most of Heartland AEA's services are free. A nominal fee is charged for some services, such as printing, graphic design, lamination, some staff development courses and special school district requests.

The Heartland Area

Interim Chief administrator: Sheila King
Founded: 1975
Schools: 54 school districts and 28 accredited private schools
Students: Over 130,000 (Heartland AEA also serves youth with special needs from birth to school age).
Teachers & administrators: 12,000
School buildings: 330
Counties: 11-Audubon, Boone, Carroll, Dallas, Guthrie, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story and Warren
Area: 6,518 square miles
Main office: Johnston
Branch office locations: Adel, Ames, Carroll, Guthrie Center, Indianola, Johnston, Knoxville, Newton and Woodside (Ankeny)
Shelter Care Educational Program sites: Ames, Des Moines (3), Indianola, Manning and Newton
Heartland employees: 688 full- and part-time