Education
Ames joins growing number of school districts going to court against state
The Ames school district is seeking court intervention after the Iowa Department of Education denied its request to start the fall semester online. Ames is part of a growing number of school districts who are receiving denials from the DOE to start the school year 100% online. Urbandale, Des Moines and Iowa City schools have […]
Families can support kids’ mental health whether they’re learning remotely or at school – here’s how
The choice between in-person learning, where available, and remote learning is a fraught one for parents. Children experience joy and connection when they learn alongside other kids, but they risk being exposed to the coronavirus. Remote learning at home can protect kids from COVID-19, but does it set back their social-emotional development? It may feel […]
Is NCAA football too big to fail?
The coronavirus continues to jeopardize college sports. The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were canceled back in the spring. In early August, smaller conferences like the Mid-American Conference and the Mountain West Conference postponed all fall sports, including football. But the big news came when the Big 10 and PAC 12 postponed all fall […]
Des Moines schools headed to court after state denies online-learning request
The Des Moines school district will be seeking court intervention in response to the state’s rejection of its request to start the school year entirely online. The Iowa Department of Education denied the Des Moines school district’s request to start the school year with 100% online learning — adding Iowa’s largest public school district to […]
Teachers’ union and Iowa City schools sue the state over online-learning mandate
The Iowa State Education Association and the Iowa City Community School District filed a lawsuit against the State of Iowa on Wednesday over the state’s attempt to dictate when a school district can move to 100% online classes. ISEA, a teachers’ union that represents educators throughout the state, and the Iowa City schools allege in […]
ACT, SAT scores are not required for students enrolling into Iowa colleges next year
The Iowa Board of Regents announced it is waiving ACT and SAT requirements for students who want to attend one of the state’s three public universities next year. Typically, Iowa State University, University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa require a submitted standardized test score before someone is considered for admission. However, in […]
Reynolds commends Indianola school’s handling of COVID-19 during first week of classes
Gov. Kim Reynolds held up the Indianola school district as a success story Tuesday after a COVID-19 case was confirmed in an elementary school there four days into the new school year. “They did exactly what they needed to do and you know, we know that this is going to be part of the process […]
Infections grow at a state-run school while districts struggle with Reynolds’ mandate
As Iowa school districts struggle to meet state demands for in-person classroom instruction, the state-run school in Eldora is continuing to see a spread of COVID-19. At the Boys State Training School in Eldora, where students attend classes and reside on campus in cottages, the number of students and workers who have tested positive for […]
Who’s really responsible for Reynolds’ demand for in-person school in a pandemic?
There’s something about the battle over local control during a pandemic that inspires references to old sci-fi movies. Last time, it was “Star Wars.” This week, it’s the dystopian “Judge Dredd,” starring Sylvester Stallone as a roving combination of cop, judge, jury and executioner. His catchphrase: “I AM the law!” It seemed appropriate this past […]
Millions available for Iowa schools to help students with online learning
As some Iowa students prepare to start the new school year from home, the Iowa Department of Education announced that $26.2 million is available for schools and universities to help their students with internet access. Through the federal CARES Act, $19.3 million will go to 327 school districts and private schools, according to a news […]
Axne prods Congress to help teachers as worries spread over going back to school
Teachers were feeling stressed out even before the pandemic began, and their anxieties have exploded as lawmakers and school leaders debate whether to launch in-person classes this fall. U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne is hoping that her push to highlight teacher mental health in a House measure will prod Congress to do more to help educators […]
Reynolds: ‘Community context’ might outweigh COVID rates for schools
Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday further narrowed the possibility that school districts might be allowed to hold 100% of classes online despite a high rate of COVID-19 infection in their county. Reynolds, in a news conference, said state officials would consider the “community context” in school districts where the average positivity rate for the virus […]