What is the Iowa Council for Early ACCESS?

The Iowa Council for Early ACCESS (ICEA) advises and assists the Iowa Department of Education in the planning, coordination, and delivery of services to infants and toddlers with special needs and their families. The membership of the Council consists of families and representatives of the public and private sectors who, by virtue of their position, interest, and training can contribute to the quality of services provided to infants and toddlers with special needs and their families.

Interested in serving on the ICEA? Click the button below to be taken to the Iowa Talent Bank where you can apply.

Apply to ICEA

ICEA By-laws

The Iowa Council for Early ACCESS by-laws contain information on purpose, function, membership, attendance, number of meetings and committees.

Role

The purpose of the Iowa Council for Early ACCESS (ICEA) is to advise and assist the lead agency working collaboratively with partnering agencies in the coordination, development, and implementation of the policies that constitute the statewide system of early intervention services.

Responsibilities

  • Assist the lead agency in achieving the full participation, coordination, and cooperation of all appropriate public and private agencies in the state;
  • Assist the lead and signatory agencies in the effective implementation of the statewide system by establishing a process that includes 1) seeking information from service providers, service coordinators, parents, and others about any federal, state or local policies that impede timely service delivery and 2) taking steps to ensure that any policy problems identified under paragraph (a) (3) (I) [CFR 303.650] are resolved;
  • May advise appropriate agencies in Iowa with respect to the integration of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and at-risk infants and toddlers and their families regardless of whether at-risk infants and toddlers are eligible for early intervention services in Iowa;
  • Advise and assist the lead and partnering agencies in the development and implementation of the policies that constitute a statewide system;
  • To the extent appropriate, assist the lead agency in the resolution of disputes;
  • May advise and assist the lead and signatory agencies regarding the provision of appropriate services for children aged birth to five inclusive;
  • Advise and assist the lead and signatory agencies in the identification of sources of fiscal and other support for services for early intervention programs under this part;
  • Advise and assist the lead and signatory agencies in the assignment of financial responsibility to the appropriate agency;
  • Advise and assist the lead and signatory agencies in the promotion of the interagency agreements under CFR 303.523;
  • Advise and assist the lead and signatory agencies in the preparation of Part C applications and amendments to those applications;
  • Advise and assist the state educational agency regarding the transition of toddlers with disabilities to services provided under Part B of the Act, to preschool and other appropriate services;
  • Prepare an annual report to the Governor and to the Secretary on the status of early intervention services operated within the state for children eligible under Part C and their families and submit it to the Governor and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education by the date the Secretary establishes. Each annual report shall contain the information required by the Secretary for the year for which the report is made in accordance with federal guidelines.

Early ACCESS Performance

Iowa’s Annual Performance Report (APR) is submitted annually to the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education (OSEP).  OSEP is responsible for the supervision of early intervention programs across the US.  The APR evaluates Iowa’s efforts to implement the purpose and requirements of early intervention.

Final submissions for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 through FFY 2017 can be found on the Office of Special Education Programs public reporting webpage. Submissions from FFY 2018 to the most recent available, can be found on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act website. New reports are available each year in June, and the report available at that time will be from two calendar years ago. For example, in June of 2020, the reports for FFY 2018 (2018-19) were finalized and made available.

Data on eight of the indicators submitted as Part of Iowa’s FFY21 APR submitted February 2023 by region.

The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) is the 11th indicator in the APR.  Starting in FFY19, details regarding indicator 11 are included in the APR linked above.  The SSIP report for FFY18, as well as the evaluation plan and theory of action, are linked below.

State Systemic Improvment Plan (SSIP) Phase III, Year 4 FFY 2018

SSIP Early ACCESS Evaluation Plan FFY 2024

SSIP Theory of Action Early ACCESS FFY 2020

 

ICEA Meetings

The Iowa Council for Early ACCESS (ICEA) conducts at least four meetings (quarterly) each year. The meetings are held at the Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA, unless otherwise specified.

Meeting agendas, once available, can be viewed by clicking on the meeting date.

2024- 2025 Meeting Dates

2023- 2024 Meeting Minutes

ICEA Members

Council membership is:

  • Appointed by the Governor’s Office;
  • Organized according to the Federal Law, meeting guidelines for its composition of 20% parents and 20% public and private providers of early intervention service. Other required members include personnel preparation, state legislator, state preschool programs, health insurance, Head Start, state child are agency, and other state agencies;
  • Balanced according to State law in regard to geographic region, political party and gender;
  • Appointed for three-year term, not to exceed two consecutive terms.

ICEA Members

2024-2025 ICEA Membership List.

ICEA Executive Committee Members

  • Chair: Annette Hyde
  • Vice Chair: Eric Locke
  • At-Large Representative: Rozanne Warder
  • Parent Representative: McKaylee Heuton

ICEA Signatory Agency Members

  • Kimberly Villotti, Iowa Department of Education
  • Marguerite Macek, Child Health Specialty Clinics
  • Micki Beard, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
  • Shelley Horak, Iowa Department of Health & Human Services

Early ACCESS State Work Team Members

  • Dee Gethmann, Iowa Department of Education
  • Tonya Krueger, Child Health Specialty Clinics
  • Abby Patterson, Iowa Department of Health & Human Services
  • Meghan Miller, Iowa Department of Health & Human Services

ICEA Orientation

Welcome to the Early ACCESS Council

As a new member you might have questions about the Early ACCESS system and/or the Council. We have created two PowerPoint presentations to provide new members an overview of the Early ACCESS system.

Part 1: Iowa Council for Early ACCESS Orientation (19 slides with notes). This short recorded presentation will provide information to prepare you in your role on the council.

Part 2: Explore Early ACCESS Information (23 slides with notes). This presentation is to be completed at your own pace by viewing the slide deck. The presentation covers a variety of information, such as: what is IDEA, what common acronyms are used and what they mean, what is ACHIEVE, and what to expect at a Council meeting, etc.