Teri Hockenson

I’m a teacher, and I’ve spent my entire career in special education.
That career began at a rural school district in northwest Iowa, until, after 10 years, I was given an opportunity to become a special education consultant at the Great Prairie Area Education Agency in southern Iowa. It was a big change, but an easy choice. Iowa’s AEAs are a jewel in our public education system, providing incredible support for teachers like me and amazing services and opportunities for the kids we serve.

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Under the bills being pushed by the governor and her allies in the Legislature, schools will be hard pressed to find and provide the services high-needs students need to become the best person they can be. That’s the reality we’re facing in Albia, where I work, and hundreds of smaller communities all across Iowa.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Since Gov. Reynolds announced this plan back in January, Iowans have raised their voices and so far prevented the Republican-led Legislature from destroying our AEAs. But now we’re reaching a critical stage in the legislative process, and Iowans must keep up the pressure.

I live in a conservative part of the state, and just about all of my local elected representatives are Republicans. Believe me, they’ve heard from me. Your legislators need to hear from you, too.

Find your local legislators. Email them. Call them up. Go to their forums. Find them and tell them to vote “no” on the AEA bills.

more ... https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/03/18/rural-iowa-needs-aeas-now-is-the-time-to-speak-up-and-save-them/