At the State Board of Education meeting, Department of Education officials summarized the department’s recent staffing additions, legislative implementation supports and new programs for the 2025–26 school year.

Director’s highlight: the department welcomed Todd Abramson as a new board member (term began July 1) and reported more than 30 new special education team hires as of July 1. It also announced three senior leaders joining the department: John Elgin (chief of staff), Dr. Lisa Breitfelder (central special education division administrator) and Dr. Corey Seymour (chief of school improvement).

Math and literacy supports: the department published its annual “letter to the field” summarizing education legislation from the 2025 session of the 90th General Assembly and posted implementation supports online, including named points of contact. As part of the Math Counts Act implementation, the department launched four statewide supports for evidence‑based K–6 math instruction: (1) an approved state list of math screening and progress monitoring tools; (2) a model state personalized math plan; (3) a comprehensive state math plan and executive summary emphasizing standards‑aligned high‑quality instructional materials and curriculum‑aligned professional learning; and (4) the Build Math Minds K–6 statewide professional learning program.

The department also announced a first‑in‑the‑nation statewide partnership with National Math Stars to identify mathematically exceptional students. After a nomination round, 433 students applied nationally; 389 finalists were selected nationally and 57 finalists are from Iowa — nearly 15% of the national pool and about 40% of Midwest finalists — and the program will provide individualized coaching through grade 12.

Professional development and guidance: the department released a statewide guide to required professional development under state and federal law, added new online courses (FERPA/PPRA/HIPAA and COPPA privacy protections, anti‑discrimination and free speech/intellectual freedom, at‑risk/dropout prevention, school bus driver training), and published an official AEA‑approved list of 53 unique professional development courses (three rounds of submissions). The department also launched the Build Math Minds professional learning registration statewide.

Grants and programs: the department awarded more than $2,000,000 in competitive grants to eight districts to establish therapeutic classrooms serving pre‑K–12 students; those districts include Cedar Rapids, Cherokee, Davenport, Durant, Keokuk, Pella, Spencer and one listed as ‘Bond to grama’ in the materials. The awards will create 17 new student classrooms to serve approximately 150 students across five behavioral health districts. The department also awarded $258,000 through the Local College and Career Access Network (LCAN) to five communities for 2025–26.

Other implementation work: the department facilitated a multi‑agency webinar on school emergency operations plan revisions and electronic device use policy updates with the Governor’s School Safety Bureau and local law enforcement; posted a recorded webinar; and announced upcoming events and advisory committee meetings. The department also highlighted that license plate design finalists are on display and that the new specialty plate is available on the Iowa DOT website, with proceeds supporting districts with high per‑pupil transportation costs, many of which are rural.

Board discussion covered program details and follow‑up items such as the timeline and virtual/in‑person mix for National Math Stars supports and requests for further breakdowns of new superintendent hiring origins and district‑level grant details. Department staff agreed to follow up on specific questions.