Tom Wood

The board meeting included the introduction of new members and the student board member. Key agenda items covered the annual officer elections for president and vice president, followed by appointments to the non-public school advisory committee and the Iowa Public Broadcasting System Board. The meeting featured updates on community college advisory committee developments, including personnel promotions and grant application progress. The Director's report detailed the conclusion of the legislative session, highlighting various bills related to educational standards, teacher preparation, and student services, along with upcoming administrative rule-making requirements. Additionally, the meeting included various celebrations, such as the announcement of US Presidential Scholars semifinalists, recognition of school nurses, and updates on student contests and Public Service Recognition Week.

The board meeting featured a director's report that included updates on legislation such as Senate File 273 and the Pathways Matters bill. The board discussed the recognition of outgoing members, the inaugural Purple Star Schools recognition ceremony, and various professional learning opportunities including the Every Learner Forward conference and the Iowa STEM summit. Further discussions covered standard updates regarding preschool and computer science curricula, the award of shared vision preschool grants, and the expansion of the therapeutic classroom incentive grants. Additionally, the board reviewed the graduation rates for the class of 2025 and discussed the implementation of new student enrollment count dates and funding calculations as mandated by Senate File 2201.

The Iowa State Board of Education's plan is dedicated to building an excellent education system that empowers all students to achieve their full potential and experience world-class education. The plan outlines five key goals: promoting safe, orderly, and welcoming learning environments; promoting equity in education by closing achievement and opportunity gaps; ensuring high-quality teachers, educators, and leaders; providing all students with multiple pathways for postsecondary success through high-quality career and academic programs; and championing excellence, persistence, and accountability by State Board members in achieving these goals.

The agenda for the meeting included the Director's Report, Bureau Leadership Updates covering Community Engagement and Financial Aid Program Administration, and staff reports on various programs. Key action items involved the approval of the meeting minutes from January 9, 2026, and the rescheduling of the May 8, 2026, Commission meeting to May 1, 2026. Discussions also covered updates from the Postsecondary Attainment Institute (PAI), including the annual report detailing Fiscal Year 2024 activities and Fiscal Year 2025 finances. Furthermore, administrative rules for several chapters of the Iowa Administrative Code were recommended for adoption, and updates on Postsecondary Authorization applications were reviewed.

The meeting involved the approval of the agenda and the panel's By-Laws updates. A presentation was given on the State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR), highlighting compliance indicators for IDEA, including positive results in Early Childhood Indicator 11 (Child Find) and improvements in early childhood placement data. Discussions covered mixed results in early childhood outcomes, suspension/expulsion data (Indicators 4A and 4B), and transition/graduation rates. Updates were provided on major enhancements to the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) systems within ACHIEVE, focusing on improved user functionality and better integration between FBA/BIP and the IEP process. Future agenda items include implications of federal block grants and legislative updates. A standing agenda item for Department Updates was suggested.