Heartland Postsecondary Success Network
Thank you for your interest in engaging with Postsecondary Success Network resources to improve students' postsecondary outcomes. This site will be used as a landing place for information and resources around our Postsecondary Success Network.
Registration closes soon for the 2025 Build My Future event, scheduled for Wednesday, April 16th at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
Build My Future is a hands-on career immersion event that highlights careers available for high school students in Iowa. This annual event pulls in over 5,000 students from 120+ schools across the state and is expected to grow even more this year to around 7,000 students!
With over 20 different career pathways covered, across many industries, and hands-on activities from more than 100 different business exhibitors, there is something for every type of student!
View pictures and videos from previous events, review testimonials and learn more at https://iowaskilledtrades.com/.
Dates: June 9 & 10 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Where: Various locations around Story County
Register: Secure your spot today! Register online, or email Jill Webb at jmwebb8@dmacc.edu.
This interactive 2-day conference allows K-12 educators, counselors, and administrators to connect to local business to better understand the regional economy, and workforce needs through tours and professional panels. Each day includes tours and panels with regional companies, as well as hands-on experiences and engaging discussions with education and industry experts on how to help our students be more “future ready.” Educators will also take away practical tools and strategies for implementing career awareness, exploration, and workplace learning activities in their classrooms. Upon completion, educators will receive one license renewal credit through Heartland AEA, if desired. *Please note, attendees are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from business locations.
Teaching for the Workforce: Story County Conference Fees
Course Only = FREE
Course + One License Renewal Credit = $50
If you desire license renewal credit from Heartland AEA, please register here.
Course Name: HL - Teaching for the Workforce: Connecting Careers to the Classroom (Story County)
Course #: 51249
Section #: 51223
Dates: June 16 & 17 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Where: Greater Des Moines Partnership and various downtown DSM businesses
Register: Secure your spot today! Register online, or email Renee Gillis-Arnold at rgillisarnold@dmacc.edu
The Greater Des Moines Partnership and DMACC Work Based Learning are delighted to partner for a unique professional development learning experience for secondary educators in and around the Des Moines Metro region. This interactive two-day course allows educators, counselors, and administrators to connect to local business to better understand workforce needs. Please only register if you are able to attend the full two-days. Upon completion, educators will receive one license renewal credit, if desired.
Teaching for the Workforce: DSM Metro Conference Fees
Course Only = FREE
Course + One License Renewal Credit = $50
If you desire license renewal credit from Heartland AEA, please register here.
Course Name: HL - Teaching for the Workforce: Connecting Careers to the Classroom (DSM Metro)
Course #: 51488
Section #: 51444
For any questions, please contact Renee Gillis-Arnold at rgillisarnold@dmacc.edu
Learn more about WIGU by watching this short 👉 video or contact Christian Gray at christian@wigu.ai or at 515-207-0193 to learn more.
WIGU "Free Work-Based Learning Resource for Iowa Schools
WIGU's free work-based learning tool for Iowa high schools. WIGU simplifies school-to-business connections, saving counselors time and helping more students succeed—all at no cost.
Work Based Learning Reporting Updates
Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, only those activities noted in the new definition of “work-based learning” will count toward:
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) school accountability work-based learning measure;
Perkins Secondary Career and Technical Education 5S3 work-based learning measure; and
Iowa Student Outcomes work-based learning interactive dashboard.
Schools will leverage existing SCED codes, course names and new embedded work-based learning codes to report these activities to the Iowa Department of Education. Refer to the Student Reporting in Iowa (SRI) Data Dictionary for additional information at https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/data/data-collections/student-reporting.
More information about work-based learning in Iowa can be found on the Department’s Career-Connecting Learning webpage.
New Work Based Learning Resources
New Feb. 2025
New Dec. 2024
*New - Heartland Postsecondary Success Services
Postsecondary Success Supports.pdf*New - Services to Improve Transition Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
Services to Improve Transition Outcomes.pdf
Course to College Google Site
Iowa College Aid's Course to College program addresses five key components for successfully getting to college. The five components include; prepare, apply, finance, decide, and go.
Registered schools will receive full access to all supports that the program provides; print materials, marketing materials, newsletter, weekly network calls, texting hotline, shared resources, and more.
Please visit the website below to learn more about the Course to College program: https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/college-career-prep/course-college
If you have questions regarding the program, its benefits, or commitments, please connect with Danielle Sampson at Iowa College Aid: danielle.sampson@iowa.gov
Past Sessions:
10/01 - Work-Based Learning: Essential Tool for Preparing Students for Careers (recording)
10/21 - Jump-Start Careers: Apprenticeship, Pre-Apprenticeship and Industry-Recognized Credentials (recording)
11/19 - Iowa Business Council’s ‘Top Four' List of Professional Proficiencies (recording)
12/3 - Where to Find Funding and Other Resources for WBL (recording)
New Webinar Series to Help Expand Work-Based Learning Across Iowa
1/21 - A Deeper Dive into Starting and Expanding Work-Based learning (recording)
02/11 - Using Labor Market Information to Drive Work-Based Learning Decisions (recording)
03/04 - Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Work-Based Learning for Students with Disabilities (recording)
04/08 - Linking Perkins, CTSOs and Other Programs for Sustained Work-Based Learning (recording)
Full Webinar Series
ICAN, the Bureau of Iowa College Aid, and ISCA are kicking off the new academic year with our Fall On Track College Planning Week, a week of virtual events to help families plan.
Host a FAFSA completion event at your school - Contact Erick Danielson
Volunteer at an Event
A Step-by-Step FAFSA Event is a virtual walk through of the FAFSA form in which participants join a Zoom call and fill out the FAFSA while being led through the form by an ICAN professional. Additional FAFSA helpers will be available through the chat feature or breakout rooms to answer questions and provide assistance.
There is a toolkit of promotional materials including email templates for families and a promotional flier you can download, print, and distribute. Click here to visit the Counselor Toolkit.
The Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program aims to help teachers answer that age-old question, "When will I ever use this?"
During the summer, STEM educators work side-by-side with knowledgeable and skilled industry employees who help bring the classroom curriculum to life. STEM Teacher Externships provide educators with the exposure to answer questions about real-world application, prepare students for careers they may have in the future and improve educational experiences.
Iowa STEM Teacher Externships are geared toward secondary STEM educators.
STEM Teacher Externs are expected to work for 200 - 240 hours for the extern host, typically starting in June and ending in July for 5-6 full-time weeks. STEM Teacher Extern hosts are often flexible in adjusting work schedules to meet the needs of their STEM teacher externs.
Iowa STEM Teacher Externs earn a stipend of up to $5,000 and three graduate credits through the University of Northern Iowa's Continuing Education program paid for by the Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program.
Visit the Career Exploration Events page for more details and to register students for events this fall!
WBL Contact: wbl@dmacc.edu
*New FAFSA Toolkit (updated Fall 2024)
The Bureau of Iowa College Aid continues to work diligently to understand and communicate the upcoming changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We know these changes will affect various groups, and the messages to these groups will differ.
We ask that you use this FAFSA Simplification Social Media Toolkit to assist Iowa College Aid in communicating these changes statewide. This toolkit offers a schedule, content, and graphics for your organization’s social media platforms and channels. Please pass it along to those responsible for your organization’s social media communications.
Iowa College Aid has also opened a FAFSA textline for the public. This toolkit assists us in promoting that textline to those completing a FAFSA. It is open to opt-in and will stay open through next year to answer any questions regarding the FAFSA.
The more uniform the message we can provide to students and families, the easier it will be for them to complete the FAFSA. We appreciate your willingness to help us provide clear and concise messaging about the upcoming changes. The schedule and content will be updated regularly throughout the fall as we learn more from Federal Student Aid. Please complete this form to receive those updates.
Iowa Educators Get FREE Access With Registration
Teaching Entrepreneurship?
We think you'll love BizInnovator Startup!
BizInnovator Startup is perfect for your entrepreneurship program (classroom, CTSO, after-school), aligned with modern entrepreneurial frameworks: Lean Startup Methodology and Design Thinking.
WHAT WILL YOU GET WHEN YOU REGISTER?
Access to the 2024-25 BizInnovator curriculum
Including new activities and resources
Network with entrepreneurship educators nationwide
INTERESTED IN OFFERING YOUR STUDENTS COLLEGE CREDIT?
Complete the BizInnovator Startup PD and your students can earn 3 transferable credits.
Register Here - For Free!
Authentic Learning is defined as:
Real tasks, where students own the work involving real research, real creation, and ideally, a tangible service or product delivered to a real audience at the completion.
Learn More About Authentic Learning:
What is Authentic Learning?
Embed authentic learning into your curriculum!
Join the Authentic Learning Google Site!
“Students need to see the connection to the work they are doing in the classroom within the context of the community and future post-secondary opportunities.”
The Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning connects students and employers through shared projects that give students professional experience. This can include virtual projects, internships and apprenticeships. Download the
Does your district have a project board manager on the Clearinghouse? If you like to know more about becoming a district project board manager, watch this short video.
If you are interested in becoming a Clearinghouse project board manager for your district, please contact
Angela Dvorak - advorak@heartlandaea.org
Several resources have been added to the Department's Work-Based Learning website.
Two scholarship opportunities are available to maintain high-quality STEM education in Iowa. The Regents Alternative Pathway to Intern Licensure (RAPIL) Scholarship is offered to professionals enrolled in the RAPIL Program who are pursuing an Iowa teaching license in STEM fields. The STEM Latest Information for Teachers (LIfT) Scholarship is available to help current STEM educators gain training and experience in the fast-paced advancements of STEM fields at an Iowa community college or university.
For more information about the RAPIL and STEM LIfT Scholarships, visit www.iowastem.org/scholarships.
Academy courses may be taken for license renewal or graduate credit, or for no credit through AEA Learning Online. All courses have been updated with new content and resources!
101: Foundations of College and Career Readiness | Register
301: Systems and Optimization | Register
601: Advanced Equity Issues in Planning, Accessing & Financing Postsecondary Opportunities| Register
603: - Facilitated by Cindra Porter - Self-Paced - Start At Any Time
603: SUPPORTING GRADUATION, COLLEGE & CAREERS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS
This course identifies challenges and potential barriers unique to families new to the U.S. or have students developing their academic English language proficiency. The course, facilitated by Cindra Porter, targets actions that schools can take to support English Learners better as they work toward graduation and prepare for their transition to college or career training programs.
701: College & Career Readiness for K-5 School Counselors & Educators| Register
Free resources:
Dress for Success Posters (printable) for corporate and non-corporate careers
Connection Lab: Free Career Videos including videos on Employability Skills
Many more resources and links available on the Iowa Intermediary Network website
Connect with your regional Intermediary to learn about work-based learning experiences available in your region
