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We have hit the ground running in 2025 with a WBL coding and reporting support webinar, new career-connected learning licensing/credentialing resource and lots of great opportunities for you and your students!
This month's newsletter covers quite a range of topics, from upcoming events to new funding opportunities and even a new section called "The Coordinator's Corner" in partnership with our friends at the Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinators. Please take a moment to review things carefully and watch for fast approaching deadlines.
I'm happy to answer any questions you might have on WBL coding, reporting or other aspects. Our team is also available to set up more in-depth technical support meetings with your staff to focus on planning, implementing, expanding and sustaining high quality career-connected learning programs across the state.
Take care, stay warm and keep up the great work everyone!
Sincerely,
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A new resource has been released that consolidates various sources of information regarding the licensing and credentialing options available to educators, support staff and other partners interested in teaching or supervising career-connected learning courses or experiences with various types of student groups in Iowa. Review the new resource at the link below and reach out with any additional questions.
Over 400 educators, administrators, support staff and other partners joined for the Work-Based Learning Coding and Reporting Support Webinar on 01/13/2025. Members of the Department's Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness and Bureau of Information and Analysis partnered to run through recent changes to terminology, guidelines for coding and reporting for the Iowa School Performance Profiles (ISPP) and tips for expanding work-based learning programs in Iowa. Follow the links below to review the session recording and slide deck, which are also available on the Department's Career-Connected Learning site through the button below. A new FAQ resource is also being finished and should be available shortly.
Recording - https://youtu.be/BLUgyootXBY
Slide Deck - https://educate.iowa.gov/media/10892/download?inline
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Coming Soon
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Consider surveying district staff to determine if any current courses or experiences either (a) currently offer qualifying WBL or (b) could do so with minor tweaks, such as local business/industry representative participation.
Courses that included work-based learning experiences (otherwise known as "embedding") count the same as dedicated WBL courses (e.g. internships or work-study) for the Iowa School Performance Profiles and other measures.
This is especially helpful to consider for courses that fall outside of career and technical education (CTE), such as a math class that includes sustained project-based learning in partnership with an employer or a social studies class that places students in a student learner program work experience with a town or city government office.
Refer to the updated Work-Based Learning Naming and Coding resource for information and a wide array of additional career-connected learning resources on the Department's site to assist with planning, launching and expanding your career-connected learning programs.
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The interactive work-based learning dashboard available on the Iowa Student Outcomes website has been recently updated to be reflective of the new state definition for work-based learning with 2023-2024 academic year data.
District or school staff should check the updated information and conduct a thorough review of all identified courses, as well as any that may be missing or seemingly incorrect due to coding or reporting issues. A new feedback form has been added to the site to request corrections, clarifications or other information. This is being done to help ensure courses are being adequately coded within district Student Information Systems (SIS) before the transmittal and certification of winter Student Reporting in Iowa (SRI) data files by next Wednesday, 01/29.
Note: The data that appears on this dashboard is not going to align with data that appears for schools/districts on the Iowa School Performance Profiles (ISPP). There are various reasons for this, such as academic year of focus and data analysis processes or procedures.
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Registration is now open for the 2025 Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinators Conference planned for April 14, 2025 at the Prairie Meadows Events and Conference Center in Altoona, IA.
As I've mentioned before, this is a "must attend" conference for anyone working directly in or supporting career-connected learning programs or initiatives across the state. In addition to hearing from nationally known speakers, there are so many opportunities to network, connect and learn from others from across the state.
A summarized schedule has been posted to outline the great lineup of sessions and topics. My former Iowa Department of Education colleague, Kristy Volesky (Volesky Consulting), will offer an insightful and informative keynote discussion regarding social capitol.
The Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Workforce Development are continuing their efforts to expand work-based learning through a collaborative and informative series of webinars aimed at showcasing the many ways that Iowa schools and employers are building the workforce pipeline across our state. Special guests also include strategic partners like the Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinators Association, Iowa Business Council and the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council.
Past Sessions:
10/01 - Work-Based Learning: Essential Tool for Preparing Students for Careers (recording)
10/21 - Jump-Start Careers: Apprenticeship, Pre-Apprenticeship and Industry-Recognized Credentials (recording)
11/19 - Iowa Business Council’s ‘Top Four' List of Professional Proficiencies (recording)
12/03 - Where to Find Funding and Other Resources for Work-Based Learning (recording)
01/21 - A Deeper Dive into Starting and Expanding Work-Based Learning (recording available soon)
Upcoming Sessions:
02/11 - Using Labor Market Information to Drive Work-Based Learning Decisions
03/04 - Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Work-Based Learning for Students with Disabilities
04/08 - Linking Perkins, CTSOs and Other Programs for Sustained Work-Based Learning
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Hello everyone,
I'm so excited to have this dedicated area to offer some news, updates and other information from the Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinators (IWBL). As an affiliate of Iowa ACTE, IWBL joins other educational organizations in promoting high quality learning and activities for students. We have a specific goal of connecting work-based learning coordinators with professional resources, professional development opportunities and one another so that we learn and grow together in our efforts to offer our students the best possible opportunities that lead to great outcomes.
I hope to see you all at our upcoming conference in April! In the meantime, however, feel free to reach out or visit www.iowawbl.org to learn more and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. Thank you and keep up the great work!
Amy "Bozz" Bossard
Iowa Work-Based Learning Coordinators President (2024-2025)
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Registration closes soon for the 2025 Build My Future event, scheduled for Wednesday, April 16th at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
Build My Future is a hands-on career immersion event that highlights careers available for high school students in Iowa. This annual event pulls in over 5,000 students from 120+ schools across the state and is expected to grow even more this year to around 7,000 students!
With over 20 different career pathways covered, across many industries, and hands-on activities from more than 100 different business exhibitors, there is something for every type of student! View pictures and videos from previous events, review testimonials and learn more at https://iowaskilledtrades.com/.
A new funding opportunity is available through Iowa Workforce Development to expand work-based learning in healthcare in Iowa. The Iowa Healthcare Credentialing Grant is designed to assist health care providers and employers to create work-based learning programs with an “earn and learn” component, which can include Registered Apprenticeship (RA), on-the-job training programs, or related programs that upskill or re-skill workers. This would likely not include internships or other types of WBL for your students under the new state definition, however.
Although schools and districts are not able to apply directly, this could be a good opportunity to coordinate with local health care providers and related employers for the placement of your students, opportunities to partner on education and training or other potential areas of collaboration to help grow our skilled healthcare workforce across the state.
An informational webinar is planned for Wednesday, 02/05 at 11:30 AM. Learn more about this opportunity and register to attend that webinar at the link below. Applications are due by 2:00 PM on Wednesday, 02/19.
Registration is now open for the Iowa STEM Teacher Externship program, which aims to help teachers better connect the content and skills they teach to the needs of Iowa's STEM workplaces throughout our state.
- Iowa STEM Teacher Externships are geared toward secondary STEM educators.
- STEM Teacher Externs are expected to work for 200 - 240 hours for the extern host, typically starting in June and ending in July for 5-6 full-time weeks. STEM Teacher Extern hosts are often flexible in adjusting work schedules to meet the needs of their STEM teacher externs.
- Iowa STEM Teacher Externs earn a stipend of up to $5,000 and three graduate credits through the University of Northern Iowa's Continuing Education program paid for by the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program.
Iowa STEM Teacher Externship matches will be made based on workplace needs and teacher qualifications, skills and interests. Iowa STEM Teacher Externship placements will begin in March and will extend into the spring. It is recommended that you apply before March 1 for the best possibility of finding a placement.
Joe Collins
Work-Based Learning Consultant
Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness
Division of Higher Education
Iowa Department of Education
515-419-5190
joe.collins@iowa.gov
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