W. David Tilly

W. David Tilly

Dr. W. David Tilly currently serves as Director of Innovation and Accountability for Heartland Area Education Agency (AEA) 11.  Heartland serves 54 public school districts and 36 accredited nonpublic schools in central Iowa.  Prior to joining Heartland AEA, Dr. Tilly was a consultant for assessment, research and innovation at the Iowa Department of Education.  In that role, he worked statewide to implement changes in the educational system throughout Iowa. 

Of particular note was his work with Iowa’s Renewed Service Delivery System (RSDS).  RSDS foundationally changed the way that special education is conceptualized and delivered in Iowa.  He was a part of the inception of that change and has worked at many levels of the system throughout the change process.  RSDS practices and procedures are the same ones being advocated nationally as components of a Response to Intervention (RTI) approach to services.

David is a school psychologist by training.  He has worked as a practicing psychologist, a University trainer at Iowa State University, a state department of education consultant and an administrator.  He works regularly with states, school districts, federal offices and national organizations on improving educational results for all children. He is the 2006 recipient of the Martha Fields Award of Excellence from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. 

He is also the author or coauthor of 31 published journal articles, book chapters or books, mostly focused on education innovation, systems change and improving educational results. 

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