Grant Wood AEA Chief Administrator John Speer retiring

CEDAR RAPIDS — John Speer, who led the Grant Wood Area Education Agency through controversial changes approved by Iowa lawmakers earlier this year, is retiring as chief administrator from the organization this summer.

Speer, 53, said he’s known for the last few years retirement was on the horizon for him after more than six years as chief administrator. His last day will be June 30.

“One of my lasting legacies I hope is that I left places better than when I arrived, that I treated people with care, respect and professionalism,” Speer said. “I’ll miss the people I work with. I’ll miss the students.”

As chief administrator of Grant Wood AEA, Speer oversees the delivery of services to thousands of students and hundreds of educators in a seven-county region. Grant Wood AEA is one of nine agencies across the state that assist students with disabilities and delivers general education and media services to educators. There are 74,000 students in the Grant Wood AEA region, which includes Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.

The Grant Wood AEA board is responsible for appointing a new chief administrator. Speer was paid a base salary of $227,041 a year, and earned additional compensation of $28,963 and benefits.

Board President Randy Bauer said the board would appoint an interim or share a chief administrator with another AEA while its searches for a new leader. Bauer said the board is considering using a search firm if it decides to hire from outside the agency.

Speer laid out a “vision” with “clear direction and measurable goals” when he joined the AEA, Bauer said. These goals include:

“John has a passion for people and a passion for improvement,” Bauer said. “We’re really happy for him and wish him well in retirement.”

Changes made by lawmakers ‘challenging’

Major changes were made to the AEAs during the 2024 legislative session through House File 2612. The compromise was less than what Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed, but she said the new law would improve transparency over the cost of AEA services.

Speer said the changes have been “very challenging.”

“What we’ve tried to do is take the current situation and intended outcome of the legislation and do the best we can to make sure Grant Wood AEA continues to be a vibrant, well-thought of and necessary organization. I think we’ve accomplished that. We’re on our way to stabilizing as a system,” Speer said.

As the next legislative session approaches in January, Speer said he hopes lawmakers would give AEAs time to enact the changes made under the 2024 law.

For the first year of the law, Iowa school districts are receiving 60 percent of the funds for media services and education services that used to go to the AEAs. They can choose to use that with the AEAs, or with an outside party, and the money can be spent on any general fund purpose.

Once the new law is fully implemented in its second year, 10 percent of state funding for special education services will remain with districts for them to use, while 90 percent will continue to flow directly to the AEAs.

Also in the second year, all state funding for other education services and media services will go directly to schools — which could use that money with AEAs or get services from another entity.

Previously, federal and state special education funding went directly to the agencies. AEAs also receive property tax funding for media services and other education services for schools in their region.

A long career as an educator

Speer began his career as an educator in 1994 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa. He worked as a high school teacher and has served as superintendent of Allamakee, Ballard and the College Community school districts.

At each district, he oversaw the completion of “critically needed” construction projects, he said

“I have had the unbelievable good luck of working with great professionals and unbelievable people,” Speer said. “I’ve made incredible friendships over the years.”

After six years at College Community, he was hired as Grant Wood AEA’s chief administrator, a role he began in July 2018.

Speer said his time as an administrator in K-12 education is “closing,” but he’s looking forward to other opportunities.

“I think I have a lot to contribute in the area of education,” Speer said. “I’ll gauge the landscape here this spring and early summer, and determine the next chapter in my professional career.”

Speer said he has no intention to leave Iowa or the Corridor. It’s where he grew up. One thing he could see himself doing more of is coaching and refereeing — especially basketball and volleyball. “Both sports are desperate for officials,” he said.

Speer said he is “hopeful” for the future of K-12 education in Iowa. “I would caution that great schools don’t happen without reasonable funding,” he said.

Leaving a ‘footprint’ on education

Cindy Yelick, chief administrator of Heartland AEA, said Speer is focused on “making improvements that benefit all kids in the Grant Wood region and across the state.”

Heartland AEA serves more than 80 public school districts and accredited non-public schools in central Iowa, including Des Moines.

“He’s really been a leader among the chiefs group. He provided some great strategic vision and a great perspective. He did great work to improve the financial health of the system,” Yelick said.

“I think John is someone who has a lot of integrity and leads with his passion for kids. That makes a big impact. He’s had a great footprint on education in the state of Iowa,” Yelick said.

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