Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds mid-day today (Friday), said while she would love to tell Iowan’s schools will be back in session by May 1st, based on the latest data, that’s not going to happen. She said “I can’t tell you with any certainty based on the Department of Public Health data that they’re providing to the office, that early May will be the right time for students, teachers and staff to gather in their classrooms. So therefore, I regret to say Iowa schools will NOT reopen for this school year.” She said school districts will be required to continue to provide continuous learning opportunities for their students until the end of the regular school year.

Director of Education Ann Lebo said “Closing schools to the end of the year is not an easy decision, and we do know the challenges this creates. But we also know this decision is necessary to ensure the health and safety of those we serve.” She said the order also includes cancellation of the Spring school sports season. Lebo said more information with regard to Summer sports seasons will be provided by June 1st.

Lebo praised the State’s school districts both public and private for their efforts to keep families informed and students educated to the best of their abilities. She said the instructional time requirements will continue to be waived for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, for all schools providing continuous learning opportunities via the options available to them. Schools must provide the State with their “return to learn” plan for face-to-face learning when it takes place. The deadline to provide that plan…which may include Summer school, among other options, is due by no later than July 1st.

Here are the specific details:

• Waive instructional time requirements for the remainder of the 2019-2020 regularly scheduled academic year for schools that continue to provide continuous learning through one of two approved options, voluntary educational enrichment opportunities, required educational services, or a combination of the two.
• Require schools to submit a Return to Learn Plan to the Iowa Department of Education by July 1 outlining ways they will address disruptions to learning as a result of COVID-19. This could include summer school, enrichment activities or other opportunities to address the needs of learners.
• Waive the requirement that schools start no earlier than Aug. 23, allowing school districts and nonpublic schools to make local decisions about the length of their 2020-2021 academic year.

The governor had previously ordered schools to close through April 30. All of Iowa’s 327 public school districts, as well as 179 nonpublic schools, currently offer continuous learning through one of the approved continuous learning options outlined above. Continuous learning encompasses a variety of approaches used to extend learning beyond brick and mortar buildings — online learning, e-learning, distance learning, including paper packets, and virtual learning. School buildings will remain closed through the end of the school year except for approved meals site locations participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program and those providing temporary emergency childcare.

As for the latest Iowa COVID-19 stats, the Governor said over the past 24-hours there were:

• 191 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases, for a total of 2,332.
• Zero new counties added to the list of counties with COVID-19, for a total of 82 (Unchanged for the past two days).
• There were 926 Negative COVID-19 cases, for a total of 19,460.
• 21,792 tests have been conducted so far.
• The State Hygienic Lab has 10,588 tests available.
• 1,007 Iowan have recovered, for a recovery rate of 43%.
• 4 people have died since the last press conference on Thursday, for a total of 64.   13% of all positive COVID-19 cases in Iowa are related to Long Term Care Facility outbreaks. 45% of all deaths in Iowa are among Iowans at those facilities.

According to IDPH, the additional 4 deaths were reported in the following counties:

• Black Hawk County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Scott County, 1 older adult (61-80) years)
• Tama County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Washington County, 1 older adult (61-80) years)

The state of Iowa has released an updated dashboard on coronavirus.iowa.gov that will be updated daily to include comprehensive tracking of COVID-19 in Iowa. Across all of the Regional Medical Coordination Center (RMCC) Regions, there are 183 COVID-19 patients hospitalized; 19 were admitted over the past 24 hours; 88 were being treated in ICU’s; and 52 patients were on ventilators. There are also 7,966 In-patient beds available in Iowa; 566 ICU beds and 676 Ventilators available.