Capitol Chats—2026 Legislative Session Preview

School Safety in Iowa—Prioritizing Mental Health as a Safety Strategy

This BoardCast episode highlights mental health as a key driver of school safety with a  focus on prevention and long-term wellness. Stacey Warren from Heartland AEA shares how Iowa districts are integrating mental health supports into their safety strategies and what effective programs look like in practice. The conversation outlines the governance role of school boards, including policy, staffing, and resource considerations, while offering guidance for boards beginning to prioritize mental health. The episode also addresses common challenges and emphasizes the importance of community and parent engagement in supporting student well-being.

Capitol Chats—2026 Legislative Session Preview

In this episode, IASB Advocacy & Digital Media Specialist Taylor McGill sits down with IASB Government Relations Director Michelle Johnson, IASB Lobbyist Emily Piper, and IASB Associate Executive Director, Government Relations & School Finance Mike Guanci for a deep dive into what you can expect this session, key education issues to be on the lookout for, as well as IASB advocacy tools and tips you can use to best advocate for Iowa public schools in the new year.  To stay in-the-know this session, visit www.ia-sb.org/advocacyaction [https://www.ia-sb.org/advocacyaction] for timely tools and updates!

The Lighthouse Study—25 Years of Impact on School Boards

For 25 years, The Lighthouse Study has helped define what effective school board leadership looks like—and why it matters for student success. In this special BoardCast episode, host Jen Woodley sits down with Carolyn Jons, who helped publish the study’s original findings, along with Lou Gvist and Tammi Drawbaugh, who continue to work with school boards to apply its research today.

School Safety in Iowa—GeoComm Critical Incident Mapping

In this episode, John Shanks from GeoComm joins us to discuss Iowa’s Critical Incident Mapping program. The State of Iowa has contracted with GeoComm to provide schools with detailed indoor and outdoor GIS maps and mapping software to support emergency response. These tools empower schools and first responders to visualize incidents in real time, improve communication, and decrease response times. GeoComm will also provide secure web and mobile access to maps and critical information—at no cost to schools. Iowa Portal: https://portal-iowa-cim.hub.arcgis.com/ [https://portal-iowa-cim.hub.arcgis.com/].

School Safety in Iowa—A Leadership Responsibility

In this first episode of the School Safety in Iowa Series, IASB Executive Director D.T. Magee is joined by Tammi Drawbaugh, IASB Associate Executive Director of Board Leadership & Policy Services. Together, they explore why school safety is more than an operational concern—it’s a strategic responsibility for school boards. Learn how governance and management work together to create safer schools. Access a free board reflection resource here [https://www.ia-sb.org/docs/default-source/newsroom/boardcast/ep-1-reflection-resource.pdf?sfvrsn=2d2180f8_1].