273.11  Standards for accrediting area education programs.
  1.  The state board of education shall develop standards and rules for the accreditation of area education agencies. Standards shall be general in nature, but at a minimum shall identify requirements addressing the services provided by each division, as well as identifying indicators of quality that will permit area education agencies, school districts, the department of education, and the general public to judge accurately the effectiveness of area education agency services.
  2.  Standards developed shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
  a.  Support for school-community planning, including a means of assessing needs, establishing shared direction and implementing program plans and reporting progress.
  b.  Professional development programs that respond to current needs.
  c.  Support for curriculum development, instruction, and assessment for reading, language arts, math and science, using research-based methodologies.
  d.  Special education compliance and support.
  e.  Management services, including financial reporting and purchasing as requested and funded by local districts.
  f.  Support for instructional media services that supplement and support local district media centers and services.
  g.  Support for school technology planning and staff development for implementing instructional technologies.
  h.  A program and services evaluation and reporting system.
  i.  Support for school district libraries in accordance with section 273.2, subsection 4.
  j.  Support for early childhood service coordination for families and children to meet health, safety, and learning needs.
96 Acts, ch 1215, §50; 2001 Acts, ch 158, §24; 2010 Acts, ch 1031, §272; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §72