July 15, 2020
The Iowa Department of Education and Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs) are announcing the launch of a new early intervention and special education guidance system, known as Iowa IDEA Information (i3). It was developed collaboratively with local districts and with input from parents and partner agencies from across Iowa.
The launch of i3 means the phasing out of the current Iowa IDEA Info site, including AEA Special Education Procedures. The i3 system will bring with it enhancements that will prove to be invaluable to users, such as:
- A one-stop shop for IFSP and IEP procedures and resources
- User-friendly formatting for easy site navigation
- Increased options for searching content and resources
- Ability to allow for real-time updates with built-in options to clearly communicate
updates to users - Translation options
“The vision for a new way to access special education procedures and guidance began with the AEA Directors of Special Education. The resulting guidance system accomplishes this
vision and more. I am confident this user-friendly platform will support all educators and families as we implement the intent and regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” said Barb Guy, state director of special education, Iowa Department of Education.
Currently, training opportunities and materials are in development and will be available in mid-July. The Department and AEAs will partner with local districts to ensure the information on i3 is available to families, as well as other community partners.
The new IEP/IFSP system, which will be known as ACHIEVE, will be aligned with the i3 system once it is released during the 2021-22 school year. These two aligned components, when complete, will position Iowa’s educational professionals to continue to provide the highest quality support for students with disabilities well into the future.
The i3 system is available at https://iowaideainformation.org/. If you have any questions regarding this system, email [email protected]
Iowa IDEA Information (i3) is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs), and local districts across the state.