1. Overview of the Iowa IDEA System
First in a series
Overview of the Iowa IDEA System
This is the first presentation in a series about the Iowa IDEA system.
The purpose of this series is to provide an overview of how data gets from an IEP into IMS so that those data can be used by the Bureau of Children and Family Support Services as well as AEAs.
During this presentation, the listener will be provided an overview of the Iowa IDEA system.
November 2010

2. Iowa IDEA refers to… IEP, IMS and IFSP applications Services
Development and maintenance
Testing
Training
Technical Assistance
“Iowa IDEA” refers to:
Three (3) applications (web IEP, IMS, web IFSP) and the services such as development and maintenance, testing, training and technical assistance which are provided to support those applications.

3. Current Applications IMS IFSP IEP Mid-1990s 2010 2005
At the current time, the Iowa IDEA applications are three separate applications.
IMS was the first application to be developed and has been around in some form or another since the mid 1990s.
Web IEP was the next application to be developed and was released in January The specifications called for this to be a separate application from IMS.
The web IFSP is the most recent application to be released. It was released in January 2010.
Because these applications are separate, if a consumer has access to any combination of IMS, web IEP or IFSP, the log ins are different.
Mid-1990s
IFSP
IEP
2010
2005

4. Current Databases IEP SQL IFSP SQL IMS SQL Outputs Outputs Outputs
In addition to the applications being separate, the databases are separate also.
This means that some data are stored in more than one database. A student name, for example, is stored in both IMS and IEP even though the student name will be virtually the same in both databases.
There are a few instances in the databases where data are shared. One example are data for the sign in.
Also, the outputs for the databases are separate as well. This makes it difficult to pull historical data for a child who was previously had an IFSP and now has an IEP.
A presentation later in this series will address how the data are obtained from one application and database and entered into another. In addition, another presentation later in this same series will address the future of the Iowa IDEA applications and databases.
IEP SQL
IFSP SQL
Outputs
Outputs
IMS SQL
Outputs

5. Services Technical Assistance
Support to web IEP and IFSP administrators
Communication
Listservs
As mentioned earlier, the Iowa IDEA system not only includes applications and databases but also includes a number of services such as development and maintenance, testing, training and technical assistance.
Although all of these services are important to the successful implementation of the applications, some components of technical assistance will be highlighted here.
Technical assistance includes providing support to the web IEP and web IFSP administrators in the AEAs so those personnel can serve the consumers of the web IEP and web IFSP.
Technical assistance also includes communication to a wide range of stakeholders and consumers across the state.
A primary way for stakeholders and consumers to access information on releases, changes to data collection, manuals, notification of planned maintenance to the server or network is via
Information is also pushed to groups of stakeholders and consumers via listservs.

6. Overview of Iowa IDEA System
First in a series
Overview of Iowa IDEA System
In summary, the Iowa IDEA system is comprised of applications and services.
This concludes the presentation on the Overview of Iowa IDEA System.
November 2010