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Several enhancements were released in ACHIEVE this summer to improve the user experience, promote consistency and better align tools to Iowa Administrative Code. Please review the summaries of each release below and review applicable training content that may impact your daily work.
Recent Releases
IFSP & IEP Enhancements: Several enhancements to ACHIEVE components were released this summer. These updates improve consistency in IEP documentation and implementation and support IFSP and IEP family engagement. Visit the ACHIEVE webpage to review a summary of changes as well as a detailed enhancements guide and recorded training content.
Reevaluation Changes: Significant changes to the reevaluation process in ACHIEVE were released this summer to align to Iowa Administrative Code and to improve consistency and quality of reevaluations across the state. A summary of changes is available on the ACHIEVE webpage along with a reevaluation user guide and recorded training content.
Report Documentation: ACHIEVE Early ACCESS and Special Education canned reports were reviewed and updated by a task team this summer to improve data accuracy and improve alignment across reports. A new resource titled ACHIEVE Report Descriptions is available in the Reporting section in the left navigation menu of ACHIEVE. This document provides a brief summary of each report, describes how it can be used to support your work and links directly to each data element in the technical guide for more detailed information.
Coaching Log: A new Coaching Log tool has been developed to support statewide documentation of professional learning for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI). While this tool will be available to all ACHIEVE users, it is intended to be used by SDI Practice Coaches that are supporting implementation of one of the SDI Professional Learning packages. These coaches may use this tool to capture session details, coaching methods, critical features, barriers and next steps from each coaching session. Administrators can request a Coaching Log Reporting user role in ACHIEVE to view aggregated from the Coaching Logs. Visit the IowaSDI site for additional details, including a recorded training video and slideshow content. A detailed user guide will be added in the coming weeks.
Upcoming Releases
Changes to Prior Written Notices (PWN): Improvements to Prior Written Notice (PWN) functionality are coming to ACHIEVE in mid-September. Learn more about these changes and other best practices on PWNs at the next Policy to Practice webinar on Sept. 9. Additional training materials will be available on the ACHIEVE webpage in early September. To avoid any loss of data, IFSP and IEP teams are strongly encouraged to finalize or download copies of all draft PWNs by the end of the day on Sept.15.
Removal of Contingency Learning Plan (CLP): The requirement to complete a Contingency Learning Plan (CLP) will be removed from draft and amendment IEPs on Sept.10. Teams who wish to continue documenting contingency learning plans may do so within a Prior Written Notice (PWN). IEP teams will not be expected to create a PWN to address the removal of the CLP, as it does not constitute a change in IEP eligibility, placement, services or FAPE.
Please contact Education Program Consultant Shannon Grundmeier at shannon.grundmeier@iowa.gov with questions.
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The ACHIEVE Family Portal launched 18 months ago, yet only 8% of eligible family contacts have an active account today. To increase utilization, the Department will send invitations in early November to eligible IDEA Parent relationship types who meet the following criteria:
- The family contact is validated and has an email address stored in the Family Contact stepper.
- The family contact does not yet have an active ACHIEVE Family Portal account.
- The learner has an approved (and active) Consent for Early ACCESS Services or Consent for Special Education and Related Services.
Districts can support this effort by ensuring IDEA Parent contact information has been manually reviewed, updated and validated in ACHIEVE. This includes confirming that each IDEA Parent relationship type has a unique and accurate email address stored in the Family Contact stepper, whenever possible.
Additionally, the new Family Portal Handout—available for IFSP and IEP teams to download directly from the Family Contact stepper—can help districts promote the tool. The handout outlines account benefits, links to the Family Portal webpage and includes the last four digits of the learner’s State ID for easy account creation.
Please contact the ACHIEVE Family Portal Help Desk at achievesupport@iowa.gov with questions.
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Save the date! A professional development opportunity focused on special education and support for learners with disabilities is coming to the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines on June 16-18.
The Teaching for Impact: Training for All Educators Supporting Learners with Disabilities returns for another year of collaborative learning, providing Iowa educators with opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills related to the education of learners with disabilities from ages birth to 21. School administrators, building leadership teams, Early ACCESS providers and service coordinators, K-12 and early childhood educators and providers, Teachers of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Teachers of the Blind & Visually Impaired, AEA professionals, vocational rehabilitation partners and higher education faculty who support preservice educators are encouraged to attend the professional development.
Featured topics at Teaching for Impact will include academics, college and career readiness, early childhood, school-based behavioral health and support and related services for learners receiving special education. Emphasis will be placed on integrating information into practice across a variety of educational settings, and sessions will include examples of the content in practice as well as suggestions for classroom application. Participants will also have many opportunities to share emerging ideas with other attendees and make valuable connections.
The Teaching for Impact professional development event is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education. Please contact Education Program Consultant Nancy Hunt at nancy.hunt@iowa.gov with questions.
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The Policy & Practice Webinar Series is back with all new topics for the 2026-27 school year. The series is intended to highlight important and emerging special education policies and how to apply them within Iowa schools. The webinars will be provided by team members in the Department’s Division of Special Education and include time for questions.
Join us on Sept. 9 at 9 a.m. to learn more about Prior Written Notices (PWN) requirements under IDEA, including when a PWN is required, how to document high-quality content and common areas of concern identified through state complaints. Participants will also explore the need for incorporating parent-friendly language and learn about upcoming PWN enhancements in ACHIEVE.
The next webinar in the series, IEP Team Member Roles and Responsibilities, will be held on Oct. 14. Participants can join any of the webinars using Zoom and the passcode 431127. No registration is required. Webinar topics and recordings of past sessions are posted to the Department website.
Please contact the SDI Literacy Consultant Mary Beilke at mary.beilke@iowa.gov with questions.
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The Accredited Nonpublic Schools and Special Education Webinar Series will be continued during the 2026–2027 school year starting on Oct. 6 with Dispute Resolution. The Dispute Resolution webinar will address conflict prevention through collaboratively written systems and provide an overview of the Mediation, Due Process and State Complaints process.
Additional topics under consideration for the series include special education funding, collaboratively developed written service delivery systems, key information for administrators who are new to accredited nonpublic schools and special education, guidance for families navigating school choice and special education, contracted special education services and other timely topics identified through questions and feedback from the field.
Webinars will be held from 9 - 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday in October, November, December, February, March and April. All webinars will be recorded and posted to the webpage.
Please contact Nonpublic School Liaison Janelle Danner at janelle.danner@iowa.gov with questions or feedback on additional topics.
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The Department is excited to share the release of new professional learning materials and resources available for all. The SDI Framework: Foundations Series is intended to provide local teams with critical pre-learning prior to participating in one of the SDI professional learning packages. These materials can also provide foundational learning to any Area Education Agency (AEA), district or agency staff to learn more about Iowa’s SDI Framework. This series will provide participants with foundational knowledge of Iowa’s SDI Framework, Guiding Principles and self-assessment data tools, preparing teams to engage in their SDI area of focus.
Consider the following to determine when this is provided:
- Discussion with the leadership team regarding staff needs
- Engaging general education staff in SDI and special education work
- Special education staff experience with the SDI Framework
- Leadership team experience with the SDI Framework
- Coach experience with the SDI Framework
The content materials are available on the Professional Learning tab of the Iowa SDI Site.
Please contact Education Program Consultant Kelsey Teeter at kelsey.teeter@iowa.gov with questions.
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Designed for emerging special education teachers, this comprehensive, foundational course equips participants with the essential knowledge and skills needed to support students with disabilities through legally compliant and effective instructional practices.
Participants will:
- Explore the legal and ethical responsibilities of special education.
- Develop fluency in using Iowa’s SDI Framework to guide instruction.
- Gain an understanding of procedural requirements within the ACHIEVE system.
The course follows a flipped learning model and will run from September 2026 through May 2027. Virtual coaching will be provided by Regional Education Program Consultants (EPCs) on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
Please contact Regional Special Education Director Molly Elston at molly.elston@iowa.gov with questions.
The Special Education Leadership Series is designed for administrators who lead and support special education programs. This course builds leaders’ capacity to create legally compliant, instructionally effective and student-centered systems that ensure eligible learners receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Participants will strengthen their ability to lead special education programs through a systems-based approach that integrates legal requirements, instructional frameworks and organizational leadership practices.
The course follows a flipped learning model and will run from September 2026 through May 2027. Virtual class sessions on webinar content occur on the third Wednesday of each month from 3:30 - 4:15 p.m.
Please contact Regional Special Education Director Matt Cretsinger at matt.cretsinger@iowa.gov with questions.
The Special Education New Staff Training is a self-paced professional learning series that provides new special education teachers with the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to implement special education services in Iowa. The series is intended for first-year special education teachers, teachers new to Iowa, and other professionals seeking an introduction to Iowa’s special education systems and ACHIEVE. This training is also valuable for current staff needing a refresher on ACHIEVE navigation.
Special Education New Staff Training: Foundations for Success
Introduces essential components of special education practice in Iowa, including navigation of ACHIEVE, developing high-quality IEPs, special education processes, and social-emotional and behavioral practices.
Special Education New Staff Training: Preschool Special Education
Addresses requirements and practices specific to serving preschool-age eligible individuals, including evaluation, IEP development, early childhood outcomes, services, least restrictive environment (LRE) and transitions from Early ACCESS to preschool and preschool to kindergarten.
Special Education New Staff Training: Secondary Transition
Designed for educators responsible for secondary transition planning and services, with a focus on Iowa’s requirements and practices for developing meaningful, compliant and student-centered transition plans.
Please contact Education Program Consultant Katherine Hall at katherine.hall@iowa.gov with questions.
Senate File 2428 took effect on July 1, 2026 and changed how public schools and charter schools handle student discipline and classroom disruptions. This legislation establishes a new Iowa Code section 279.65B regarding the discipline of students who cause nonviolent or violent disruptions in public and charter schools. It also establishes definitions of “nonviolent” and “violent” disruption.
In addition, the legislation establishes a pilot program administered by the Department for one rural school district and one urban school district to establish an attendance center to be used to provide educational services, including special education services, to eligible students enrolled in the selected school districts.
There are several resources available for implementation. Please view the following:
Please contact Regional Special Education Director Matt Cretsinger at matt.cretsinger@iowa.gov or Education Program Consultant Rose Cartee at rose.cartee@iowa.gov with questions.
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Ensuring equal educational access across Iowa for deaf and hard of hearing students requires specialized expertise, strong agency collaboration and targeted resources. The Iowa School for the Deaf (ISD) serves as a vital statewide partner to local school districts, Area Education Agencies (AEAs) and families, ensuring students receive the tailored support they need to thrive academically, socially and independently.
Located in Council Bluffs, ISD provides a vibrant learning environment rooted in direct language access. Instruction and daily interactions occur directly in American Sign Language (ASL) and accessible communication modes, allowing students to engage freely with staff and peers without communication barriers. Because every student is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), these specialized educational services and placements come at no cost to local school districts.
ISD also fills a critical statewide need by offering Iowa’s only transition program specifically designed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. This unique postsecondary program helps young adults bridge the gap between high school and adulthood, equipping them with essential independent living, work-ready and postsecondary skills within an environment fully tailored to their language and culture.
Beyond the classroom, ISD offers a rich campus life featuring a wide range of after-school and extracurricular experiences. From competitive athletics and hands-on robotics teams to diverse student organizations and leadership opportunities, students are encouraged to build confidence, teamwork and lifelong connections with peers who share their language and experiences.
By offering statewide expertise, specialized visual language instruction and dedicated programming, ISD empowers students and supports local districts in fulfilling their mission to serve every learner.
Please contact outreach@iaedb.org with questions about ISD.
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The 2026-2027 assessment windows for Early Literacy Alternate Screener (ELAS), Early Math Alternate Screeners (EMAS) and Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) are now posted on the Assessment and Testing website. Annual training is mandatory for all educators administering these tests. Additionally, the Iowa Test Security Training must be taken every three years.
Annual Training Links
DLM Training: DLM Kite Educator Portal
ELAS/EMAS Training: AEA Learning Online
Training Every Three Years Link
Iowa Test Security Training: AEA Learning Online
Progress Monitoring and ACHIEVE Updates
To be in alignment with the requirements for all students, progress monitoring will not be required for students until they are below benchmark for two consecutive screening windows. In the ACHIEVE Screener section, it is no longer required to enter the target scale or domain until a student is identified as persistently at risk. Teachers should review any previous screening data to determine if students require monitoring in the fall. The progress monitoring tool will continue to be available as a tool for teachers to use as an additional data source for supporting instruction with any student.
Please contact Education Program Consultant Jennifer Denne at jennifer.denne@iowa.gov for questions regarding test administration of alternate assessments.
The new SDI Practice Coaching Handbook provides an update to the former Coaching Field Guide and now serves as the primary implementation resource for Iowa’s SDI Practice Coaches. The handbook translates the foundational coaching principles established by the Coaching Field Guide, into practical, implementation focused information and resources that support SDI Practice Coaches throughout the coaching process.
Together with the SDI Practice Coaching Hub, these resources provide a one-stop shop to access the tools needed for SDI Practice Coaching across all SDI content areas.
The content materials are available on the SDI Coaching tab of the Iowa SDI Site.
Please contact Education Program Consultant Kelsey Teeter at kelsey.teeter@iowa.gov with questions.
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Reminder! The deadline to submit your Local School Plan (LSP) is Oct. 15. If you have not updated your LSP, schedule a meeting with your assigned IVRS Counselor immediately. Contact information can be found on the regularly updated High School Contact List.
The LSP is a required service delivery agreement, collaboratively developed, facilitated and implemented by district, AEA and vocational rehabilitation partners. Its purpose is to help teams build an effective and meaningful transition service system tailored to their local needs to support the postsecondary goals and outcomes of learners with disabilities.
You can access the LSP materials and instructions on both the Department of Education - Secondary Transition and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) websites.
Please contact Education Program Consultant Kelsey Teeter at kelsey.teeter@iowa.gov with questions.
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October will mark the 81st anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual recognition of the positive impact people with disabilities make in the workforce. In recognition of this special month, the Department encourages all stakeholders to recognize and celebrate these contributions. One purpose of the IDEA is to further prepare students with disabilities for education, employment and independent living. Schools and AEAs play a key role in preparing students for the workforce and are uniquely positioned as potential employers of individuals with disabilities.
Consider the following free resources to your support efforts.
- Freshen up your bulletin board or create a display. Print-out and electronic resources are available.
- Facilitate class discussions and provide instruction on disability related employment issues for transition-aged youth (see the “I Can" video and accompanying youth discussion guide).
- Strengthen and increase the services and supports available for students with disabilities to participate in Career Technical Education and Career-Connected Learning opportunities.
- Engage student leaders as champions of inclusion in the classroom and into the workplace.
- Incorporate disability awareness training into onboarding processes.
- Sponsor a "Lunch and Learn" series about disability issues for staff.
Don’t forget to post and share your celebrations on the socials with us by tagging: @iowadepartmentofeducation and #NDEAM
Please contact Education Program Consultant Kelsey Teeter at kelsey.teeter@iowa.gov with questions.
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Find links to past issues of IDEA Insight on the Department website.
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