Welcome back! For many Iowa schools, this week kicks off the start to an exciting new school year. We look forward to collaborating with educators, students, families and partners for another successful year of learning and achievement. Happy first week of school!

Iowans can now provide public comment proposed updates to the state’s standards for social studies educations. Feedback will be collected through in-person and virtual meetings and an online survey through Sept. 25.

Early childhood professionals and stakeholders are invited to apply to serve on the statewide review committee for the Iowa Early Learning Standards, which provide updated practices and evidence-based research for early childhood educators and caregivers. Applications will be

ICYMI: The Department has released three resources to assist with implementation, planning and assessment for strengthening K-6 mathematics instruction. #MathCountsIA

HEAR ALL ABOUT IT—Incredible growth in science proficiency across all tested grade levels with 10th graders improving an impressive 7 percentage points! . “Instructional leadership and accountability matter, and we commend our students, educators, and families for the long-term

Bitcoin’s on fire at $112K! Time to flip the charts on BTCC!.Exploring Cryptocurrency with Jaren Jackson Jr.🏀.

Congratulations to the 15 schools across the state that are home districts to Iowa’s 17 National Math Stars. Through the National Math Stars program, rising fourth graders will receive individualized support aligned to their strengths and interests through 12th grade. This

Early childhood educators and administrators can now register to join the upcoming SmartTeach GOLD professional development series. This exciting training series will engage educators from statewide preschool programs on the GOLD assessment system and will detail how to optimize

JUST RELEASED—Impressive gains in literacy and science across the board! Since 2019, Iowa student proficiency results have jumped by 11 percentage points in literacy for eighth grade and 12 percentage points for science in both fifth and eighth grades. Thanks to implementation of

School nutrition staff across the state are ready to provide delicious, healthy meals for students this school year! This summer, 76 nutrition staff from 37 school food authorities attended one of the six Department-sponsored Iowa Farm to School Regional Culinary Trainings.

It’s time to file your FAFSA. This is the No. 1 way to get free money for college and you need to submit it every year that you're in college. Some financial aid is first come, first served, so file ASAP at

This summer, talented and dedicated @AmeriCorps Summer Transition Associates have been working with students to help them stay on track and achieve their postsecondary education goals. #PostsecondaryPathwaysIA.

“Over the past two years, our collective work has made a remarkable difference for students across Iowa,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. Read more about Iowa’s 11 percentage point gain in literacy from 3rd to 4th grade on the 2025 Iowa Statewide

If you’re hunting for good news here’s something: Talkspace therapy is covered by most insurance plans and the average copay is only $15 (but most covered members pay $0).

IOWA’S IMPACT ON LITERACY—Unlocking a child’s potential begins with reading! The 2025 Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress results show an outstanding 11 percentage point increase from third to fourth grade in English language arts, following Iowa’s landmark early

Results from the 2025 Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress show Iowa is making impressive gains in literacy and science. Student proficiency jumped 11 percentage points in literacy from 3rd to 4th grade following implementation of landmark early literacy legislation and

National Math Stars has announced that 17 outstanding Iowa elementary students have been accepted to their program, the most of any state in the Midwest. Each student will receive long-term individual support to maximize their talents through high school graduation.

Want a career that makes an impact? Apply for one of our open job positions at the Iowa Department of Education. As a part of our dedicated team, you have an opportunity to make a difference within Iowa schools and communities. Visit the State of Iowa’s website to find current

Congrats to these 71 schools being honored as part of the Course to College program for their outstanding success in increasing FAFSA completion rates and removing financial barriers to postsecondary education!. #PostsecondaryPathwaysIA.