An Education Crisis
Today is a snow day in central Iowa thanks to a second round of accumulating snow and blizzard warnings. Most schools are closed. Most Education Agency offices are also closed. Heck, most of Iowa is closed today. And yet, this morning, I set my alarm early and tiptoed to my office with a warm latte in hand while the house was still sleeping. Why? To log into a zoom meeting to listen to our administration share with us details of proposed Iowa Bill HSB542 and how it would change Iowa education as we know it.
I’m currently an Educational Audiologist with Central Rivers Area Education Agency. I hold a Doctorate degree in Audiology, and a state license that allows me to practice within my scope here in Iowa. I previously worked in a private practice setting that dealt with the ins and outs of hearing health; I evaluated, diagnosed, and treated hearing and balance disorders to improve varying degrees of access and communication concerns and hopefully improve quality of life. I saw the financial barriers for adults’ access to hearing related healthcare and advocated strongly for them as much as I could.
You see, I have a bleeding heart- almost everyone I’ve met in healthcare does. I told every patient who walked into the office I would not let them leave without getting them the help they needed. And I meant it. I used every resource available to me: Veterans Affairs Administrative Offices, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, donor hearing aids through the Lion’s Club, and various programs like the Starkey Hearing Foundation. I called hearing aid manufacturers, my industry representatives, reached out to colleagues nationwide, and cried and begged anyone I could to help every patient. Every. Single. One.
After 7 years of being “pushed” to be more profitable, I decided perhaps a for-profit clinic wasn’t for me. Administration began to reduce or eliminate certain insurance types due to low reimbursement rates, and resources became scarce. I found myself facing more and more obstacles to help people. People in my own community. My neighbors. My friends. My friend’s friends and families. I get it- everyone needs to “make a living”, and the healthcare system is broken, but it became too much to emotionally balance, and I decided I needed a change of scenery.
An opportunity presented itself to help children with hearing concerns via Central Rivers AEA as part of their team of Audiologists. I called several friends who had worked in Iowa’s AEAs and heard similar themes: “It’s such rewarding work, the kids, families, and educators are the best! You get to advocate for hearing access while making decisions that are only in the best interest of students.” Then they paused, “But it’s also heartbreaking at times and you’ll take a pay cut. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
I considered the risks. And then…
I leapt into Education, un-learned my medical model-brain and dove into understanding the Education world. I was an Elementary Ed major for a while, my friends and family are teachers, I mean, how hard could it be, right?
Oh boy.
I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. But I didn’t.
I didn’t know I’d hold moms as they sobbed when they received the diagnosis of their child’s hearing loss. When they’d ask me questions like, “Will he ever hear me say ‘I love you’ to him?”.
I didn’t know I’d have to advocate so hard and for so long to help families fight with health insurance companies for cochlear implant surgeries or hearing aids while their child went without access to speech and language during critical development times. [It took 12 months by the way. TWELVE months of waiting and phone calls and letters and appeals.]
I didn’t know I’d sit next to teachers and families talking about end-of-life care while ensuring their child could hear their parents’, siblings’, classmates, and teacher’s voices for their remaining days, weeks, months.
I didn’t know families faced such immense obstacles to get diagnostic evaluations and fitting appointments for hearing devices for upwards of 6 months or more.
I didn’t know they struggled with transportation because the closest in-network Audiologist was 120+ miles or more ONE-WAY.
I didn’t know how much of their own money teachers, principals, school districts, and communities were spending to purchase supplies or hearing devices so students would have access because there was no other way.
I didn’t know of the multiple language and cultural barriers that existed right HERE.
I didn’t know how many hearing losses weren’t caught in children until school-age that could’ve been treated sooner if parents and medical staff had been aware of signs/symptoms, or our free services for evaluation.
I didn’t know I’d lose sleep worrying about my caseload of students’ access to all aspects of their life- learning, leisure activities, sports & extracurriculars, Driver’s Ed, employment, and post-secondary education.
I didn’t know the effects of mental health would be exacerbated by a global pandemic for my students with hearing loss who felt even more isolated than when attending school in-person.
I didn’t know I’d find not only hearing loss, but other surgical needs, disorders, cancers, and tumors via routine hearing screenings for Gen Ed students.
I didn’t know I’d sit across the table with families, professionals and educators facing challenging decisions for a child’s education with potential life-long consequences, but….
I do know that without a doubt, I have helped, our team has helped, in every way that we could, to make the decisions in the BEST interest for that child.
Which brings me back to… this morning I sat in over two hours of discussions with my colleagues, my team of professionals, my “work family” from all backgrounds who are stunned. They’re worried- about educators. about students. about families. about communities, and yes- of course, about their own future. I listened to my team’s fears and heartbreak as they shed tears about the future of Iowa’s AEAs, and supports for educators being stripped to bare bones models. I heard the shake in their voices as they shared the real fears that their work with districts for school improvement, professional development, and mental health will all have been for nothing. Their roles and therefore resources will cease to exist come July 1, 2024 if this bill is passed.
I serve 13+ school districts, and ANY & EVERY learner from birth to 21. Our team is short an Audiologist this year. Surrounding AEAs have been short Audiologists for many years. Local private ENT, hospitals, and clinics have been searching for Audiologists. Districts will not be able to hire their own providers if they opt out- there aren’t enough to go around in the first place! I work with students who do not fall under the “special education only” umbrella this bill proposes to ONLY cover; Students and staff who still need my expertise and assistance regarding a student’s hearing loss, its implications on learning, and overall general education about hearing accessibility, assistive technology, etc. I came to the AEA because I am able to help people. I am able to make the BEST decisions for students, alongside their families and educators because I have a wealth of knowledge, professionals, and resources available to me. Until now. This proposed bill means resources are limited, thinned, or eliminated. Much like the same obstacles I had in private practice, educators’ and professionals’ hands will lose resources.
Our Agency has been BEYOND amazing- transparent, supportive, encouraging, worried about our well-being from the moment I was hired. (Read all about how amazing they are from the Iowa Department of Ed Accreditation report here). My regional administrator has pushed me to be vulnerable and work towards goals outside of my comfort zone- I even trained and became a certified youth and teen mental health first aid instructor, meeting with districts and sharing invaluable knowledge regarding how they can be proactive about mental health in their schools. Our Team Lead pushed me to speak at our annual symposium for Audiologists and Teachers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I shared a case study, after which SO MANY AEA Audiologists reached out and said it was one of the most engaging and interesting sessions to learn from.
I’ve learned more about my rights as a parent and built confidence in my ability to advocate for my own children in school through AEA resources and their professionals. My own kids and their teachers have been on the receiving end of AEA resources in the general education AND special education settings. Your children have too- or your neighbor’s children, or grandchildren. You should be worried. You should be angry. And you should be LOUD.
In recent years, I began to wonder not if, but when, our education system would break- what we are asking of educators is already not sustainable- they’re on the brink of implosion. Teachers and School Administrators are leaving the field left and right- not because they don’t love teaching. Not because they don’t love their students or no longer want to serve their communities, but because they are overwhelmed, burnt out, and continue to have resources reduced or eliminated. This bill uses sugar coating tactics like increasing teacher pay to entice support and votes. NO teacher wants MORE pay if it means LESS support. It’s estimated that more than 1000 Iowa AEA employees will lose their jobs and more than 100 at Central Rivers AEA alone. That’s a LOT less support.
So hear’s the deal (did you see what I did there?!). I’m a mom, a nobody. I don’t make a habit of calling legislators or do this type of thing on the regular. It’s out of my comfort zone. But- this time? This is a big one. It’s a blizzard here in Iowa and so most of us are at home. If you’re reading this and have a spare 5-10 minutes, I am kindly asking you to do at least 1 of 3 simple actions:
Click on this link to find your legislators. Search by your zipcode or school district. Click on their name(s), and you’ll see their phone number-call them. It will probably go to voicemail. Explain who you are, where you’re from, and if you have a personal story- share how AEA has made a positive impact on your life. Ask them to consider the negative impact of dismantling Iowa’s AEAs and you don’t support this bill.
Then find their email address and write it out in a heartfelt email. Repeat tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. Flood them with testimonies.
Go to www.iowaaea.org/share-your-story/ and share any and all personal stories you have of the benefits of AEA services.
Your voice matters. It matters now, and for the next 48-72 hours more than ever. Be LOUD.
A summary of services that will be eliminated (highlighted in red) should this proposed bill pass.