Highlights

Iowa Department of Education Partners with Master Builders of Iowa

The Iowa Department of Education received a $100,000 "Construction Program of Study Funding Award" from the Master Builders of Iowa ( MBI ) recently to help establish standards and model programs of study that will guide Iowa students seeking a career in the construction industry.

Read more: Iowa Department of Education Partners with Master Builders of Iowa

Iowa to Apply for Phase II of Race to the Top

Iowa will be applying for the next round of Race to the Top grants.

Read more: Iowa to Apply for Phase II of Race to the Top

Iowa Announces New NGA Graduation Rates

For the first time, the Iowa Department of Education is using a formula adopted by the National Governors Association (NGA) to determine the state's high school graduation rate. The formula, which sets a new baseline for comparing future graduation rates, shows a four-year completion rate of 87.2 percent for the class of 2009.

Read more: Iowa Announces New NGA Graduation Rates

March School Leader Update Newsletter

The March  issue of the School Leader Update, a monthly newsletter for Iowa's school administrators, is now available.

Read more: March 2010 School Leader Update

Teacher salaries up for third year in a row

Iowa Governor Chet Culver announced teacher salaries, which were at 37th in the nation just one year ago, are now at 26th - ahead of a majority of states and the District of Columbia. The average salary in Iowa is now $48,638.

• To read more about Iowa's ranking based the National Education Association's annual report Rankings and Estimates: Rankings of the States 2009 and Estimates of School Statistics 2010, click here.