Job of Grant Wood AEA administrator in Cedar Rapids to be part-time

CEDAR RAPIDS — The job of the chief administrator of Grant Wood Area Education Agency will become part-time beginning July 1 as incoming chief administrator Susie Meade splits her time between it and Heartland AEA based in Johnston.

Meade, 57, currently the chief academic officer of Heartland AEA, will take over chief administration duties at Grant Wood from John Speer, 53, who is retiring from the agency effective June 30.

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Speer accepted a job at the University of Iowa as a clinical assistant professor in the Education, Policy and Leadership Studies Department.

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

Among the changes, AEAs were tasked with cutting administrative costs by 30 percent.

“It is a big responsibility,” said Randy Bauer, president of the Grant Wood AEA board. “The leaders of the state have signaled they want to reduce costs in the AEA system. We’re currently going to do that. It means some of our other administrators are going to have to assume a little bigger role.”

Meade “is going to be a good fit experience-wise,” Bauer said. “She’s got a great track record.”

As chief administrator of the Grant Wood AEA, Meade will oversee 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.

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

Meade said she “likes to stay busy” and be challenged. She feels ready to take on two roles in the AEAs that previously were full-time jobs.

“Grant Wood and Heartland are more alike than different,” Meade said. “We’re two of the biggest AEAs, so working together will be advantageous, not just for the two agencies, but for the statewide system.”

In her new role, Meade said she plans to “steer us forward” and continue to ensure all students — high achievers and those who struggle to learn — get the support they need.

Before joining Heartland AEA two years ago, Meade served as chief administrator of Prairie Lakes AEA, superintendent of the Winterset Community School District and was a special-education teacher.

Her yearlong contract with Grant Wood AEA will be considered annually for renewal. Her salary will be finalized in May at the next agency board meeting. Speer was paid a base salary of $227,041 a year, and earned additional compensation of $28,963 and benefits.

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As a teacher, Meade said she was a “super user” of the AEA system.

“I truly believe it helps to support districts and students to be the best they can be. I’ve always admired the work done at the AEAs. When I had the opportunity to become a part of it and give back to other educators, I felt it was time to do that,” Meade said.

Meade will begin as chief administrator as more aspects of HF 2612 are implemented. In its second year, the law will require all funding for education services and media services to go directly to schools instead of AEAs — which they could spend with AEAs or get services from another entity.

Ten 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. 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.

As the new law is implemented and the system “evolves,” Meade said Grant Wood leaders thought it would be best to hire someone as chief administrator who “knows the intricacies of how the system works.”

“Right now is not the best time for a new person,” Meade said.

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