281—1.4(17A,256) Department of education. The department of education is established by the general assembly to act in a policy-making and advisory capacity and to exercise general supervision over the state system of education including (1) public elementary and secondary schools, (2) community colleges, (3) area education agencies, (4) vocational rehabilitation, (5) educational supervision over the elementary and secondary schools under the control of the department of human services, and (6) nonpublic schools to the extent necessary for compliance with the Iowa school laws.
The department shall also:
	1.	Stimulate and encourage educational radio and television and other educational communications services as necessary to aid in accomplishing the educational objectives of the state;
	2.	Meet the informational needs of the three branches of state government; and
	3.	Provide for the improvement of library services to all Iowa citizens and foster development and cooperation among libraries.
The department of education shall act as an administrative, supervisory, and consultative agency.
	1.4(1) Organization.
	a. 	Office of the director. The director is the chief administrator of the department and serves as chief executive officer of the state board of education. Within the office of the director, there are two offices, each headed by a deputy director: the office of learning, results, and programs, and the office of operations and initiatives.
	b. 	Division of learning, results, and programs. The division consists of bureaus that oversee instructional services; practitioner preparation; administration and school improvement services; food and nutrition services; and planning, research, and evaluation services. The division is within the office of learning, results, and programs.
	c. 	Division of community colleges and workforce preparation. The division oversees career and technical education as well as the community colleges. The division is within the office of operations and initiatives.
	d. 	Division of finance and support services. The division provides accounting and internal operations and information technology to the agency, and it also oversees school business operations. The division is within the office of operations and initiatives. The division administrator is the department’s chief financial officer.
	e. 	Division of library and information services. The division is responsible for the state library, library development, and audio-visual services.
	f. 	Iowa public television. This is the division of public broadcasting and related services.
	g. 	Division of vocational rehabilitation services. This division provides disability determination services and related services for clients with disabilities.
	1.4(2) Organizational responsibility. Each division is under the direction of an administrator. Each bureau is under the direction of a chief for administrative purposes.
	1.4(3) Employees. It is the responsibility of the director to appoint all employees of the department excluding the state librarian and the employees of Iowa public television with due regard to their qualifications for the duties to be performed, designate their titles and prescribe their duties.
	1.4(4) Mailing addresses. The mailing address for the state board of education and all divisions of the department, with the exception of the division of library services, the division of public broadcasting, and vocational rehabilitation services, is Grimes State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146. The mailing address for the division of library services is East 12th and Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319. The mailing address for Iowa public television is P.O. Box 6450, Johnston, Iowa 50131. The mailing address for the vocational rehabilitation services division is 510 East 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146.
	1.4(5) Information or submissions. Information inquiries should be addressed to the appropriate administrator of the desired organizational unit shown in subrule 1.4(1). Requests for hearings, declaratory rulings, participation in rule-making procedures of the board, and scheduling of presentations to the board should be addressed to the director of education.
[ARC 5645C, IAB 6/2/21, effective 7/7/21]