National Education Academy Overview

The landscape of education is shaped by various institutions and initiatives, all striving to enhance learning experiences and outcomes. Among these, national education academies play a crucial role in driving research, advising policymakers, and fostering the development of future education leaders. This article provides an overview of the functions, structures, and impact of national education academies, with a specific focus on the National Academy of Education (NAEd) in the United States and the Iowa Department of Education as an example of a state-level education agency.

The Role of National Education Academies

National education academies are non-governmental organizations dedicated to advancing high-quality research to improve education policy and practice. They serve as a hub for scholars, researchers, and practitioners, facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing to address pressing issues in education. Through their work, these academies aim to provide evidence-based guidance to educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders, ultimately contributing to the improvement of educational systems and outcomes.

The National Academy of Education (NAEd)

Founded in 1965, the National Academy of Education (NAEd) in the United States consists of over 300 elected members, international associates, and emeriti, all recognized for their outstanding scholarship related to education. Members are selected based on their significant contributions to the field and provide pro-bono service on committees that advise policymakers and practitioners on critical issues in education.

The NAEd is governed by a nine-member board of directors and led by a president. Past presidents include prominent figures in education such as Ralph W., Lawrence A., Carl F., Ann L., Lorrie A., and Michael J.. The current president is Carol D.

NAEd's Key Functions and Initiatives

The NAEd plays a vital role in shaping education policy and practice through several key functions and initiatives:

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Research and Scholarship: The NAEd supports and disseminates high-quality research across various disciplines related to education.
Policy Advice: The Academy provides expert advice to policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels on pressing issues in education.
Professional Development: The NAEd offers professional development programs to prepare the next generation of education researchers.

Some of the NAEd's notable initiatives include:

Reimagining Balanced Assessments: The NAEd released a volume providing guidance to state and local educational agencies, as well as schools and teachers, regarding how to foster and maintain a culture of productive assessment use to improve ambitious and equitable teaching and learning at the classroom level; design policy, professional learning, and other local systems necessary to implement balanced assessment systems; and implement processes to use aggregate data to continually improve the assessment system itself to better serve all students, especially those most disenfranchised.
Addressing Educational Inequities: The Academy received a two-year grant from the William T. Grant Foundation to sustain and advance the NAEd’s work and commitment to addressing the educational inequities resulting from and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Improving Civic Reasoning and Discourse: The NAEd initiative aims to improve students’ learning in civic reasoning and discourse by ensuring that the pedagogy, curriculum, and learning environments that they experience are informed by the best available evidence.
Understanding Human Learning and Development: This project aims to foster a deeper understanding of the complex, dynamic processes of human learning and development. It seeks to synthesize cross-disciplinary research, create an interdisciplinary community of practice, and develop multimedia tools to engage diverse audiences. The goal of this initiative is to provide evidence-based guidance to educators and policy leaders for delivering effective learning experiences that fully engage the cognitive, social-emotional, and cultural strengths and resources of all students.

NAEd's Publications and Resources

The NAEd offers a variety of publications and resources to inform and support educators, policymakers, and researchers. These include reports, policy briefs, research syntheses, and online tools. Some notable publications include:

Past as Prologue: The National Academy of Education at 50. Members Reflect.
Big Data in Education: Balancing Research Needs and Student Privacy
Reaping the Rewards of Reading for Understanding
Methods and Policy Uses of International Large-Scale Assessments
Global Migration, Diversity, and Civic Education
Evaluation of Teacher Preparation Programs: Purposes, Methods, and Policy Options
Adaptive Educational Technologies
Getting Value Out of Value-Added: Report of a Workshop

State-Level Education Agencies: The Iowa Department of Education

While national education academies provide guidance and support at the national level, state-level education agencies are responsible for overseeing and regulating education within their respective states. The Iowa Department of Education serves as a prime example of such an agency.

Structure and Governance

The Iowa Department of Education provides oversight to the state education system that includes PK-12 public elementary and secondary schools, nonpublic schools that receive state accreditation, area education agencies, community colleges, and teacher preparation programs. The Department director is appointed by the Governor to serve a four-year term, subject to confirmation by the Iowa Senate. The director's role is to provide leadership for the department as it carries out the policies and programs prescribed by state law and the State Board of Education; and to ensure department personnel are providing the necessary oversight and support for all schools, educators and students to meet their academic goals. Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed McKenzie Snow to lead the Iowa Department of Education beginning June 26, 2023.

Key Responsibilities

The Iowa Department of Education plays a crucial role in ensuring quality education for all students in the state. Its key responsibilities include:

Establishing and enforcing rigorous standards and licensing for Iowa educational practitioners to effectively address the needs of students.
Working to remove barriers for pursuing education beyond high school.
Providing leadership for the department as it carries out the policies and programs prescribed by state law and the State Board of Education.
Ensuring department personnel are providing the necessary oversight and support for all schools, educators and students to meet their academic goals.

Iowa's Education System: A Snapshot

Iowa's public education system comprises:

Local school districts serving students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade
Area Education Agencies (AEAs) that provide support and assistance to the districts in a given region
Community colleges that provide a wide range of coursework to students of all ages
Four-year colleges and universities

The Iowa Department of Education and State Board of Education are responsible for the local schools, AEAs, and community colleges, while the Iowa Board of Regents is responsible for the state's three public four-year universities.

Local School Districts

Each local school district in Iowa must offer a complete education in all grades from kindergarten through 12th grade. All state residents are entitled to free public education up to age 21 and state law requires that all learners between the ages of 6-16 attend school either in their assigned "resident" district, through open enrollment to another district, or through private instruction (home schooling).

Area Education Agencies (AEAs)

Iowa has nine area education agencies or AEAs. AEAs are regional service agencies that provide school improvement services for students, families, teachers, administrators, and their communities. Each AEA is governed by a locally elected board of directors of between five and nine members, responsible for ensuring the AEA operates in the best interests of the students in accordance with state law. The AEAs work as educational partners with public and accredited private schools.

Community Colleges

Iowa has a statewide system of 15 community colleges. These public, postsecondary, two-year institutions are organized as comprehensive community colleges. Each college serves a multi-county merged area that may vary in size from four to twelve counties; all of Iowa's 99 counties are included in one of these merged areas. Community colleges are governed by locally elected boards of directors that consist of from five to nine members who are elected for terms of three years. Each community college offers a comprehensive educational program. All Iowans of postsecondary school age are eligible to attend any of the community colleges.

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Iowa's Commitment to Local Control

While local districts are governed by state and federal laws that set broad parameters regarding coursework requirements, assessments, and teacher qualifications, each has its own locally elected board of directors that sets specific policy, defines academic requirements, and approves the local budget. This system of "local responsibility" - based on the belief that local residents have the greatest interest in assuring their children's success - continues today.

Iowa Academic Standards

Iowa’s academic standards outline and define what students should be able to do at specified grade levels by subject area; they do not prescribe or mandate any particular curriculum. Each district selects its own local curriculum, textbooks and other classroom materials. Iowa Administrative Code 281-12 outlines requirements for local school boards to establish procedures for developing, implementing and evaluating their district’s total curriculum.

Accreditation

Districts are accredited through a differentiated accountability system. All districts and accredited nonpublic schools submit information to the state Department of Education to ensure the district is meeting state and federal requirements. Based on this information, districts may receive additional support as needed to meet requirements and/or to engage in continuous school improvement.

Graduation Requirements and Teacher Qualifications

All classroom teachers must be properly licensed and certified in their subject area.

Other Important Aspects of National Education

Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), also known as the Survey of Adult Skills, is a large-scale international study of key cognitive and workplace skills of adults.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) provides important information about student academic achievement and learning experiences in various subjects. Also known as The Nation’s Report Card, NAEP has provided meaningful results to improve education policy and practice since 1969.

The NCES Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates (EDGE) program

The NCES Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates (EDGE) program designs and develops data resources to help understand the social and spatial context of education in the United States. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to create custom indicators of social, economic, and housing conditions for school-age children and their parents.

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