In a press conference held on April 2, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that schools across Iowa would remain closed until April 30 as a result of the worsening COVID-19 outbreak. Reynolds also announced that schools must chose one of two options for continuing education during the closure: voluntary online education where students will not receive class credits, or mandatory online education where attendance is taken and students will earn class credit.

“Keeping Iowan students out of classrooms is a very difficult decision, but it remains necessary for now,” Reynolds said during the conference.

Districts have until April 10 to submit which educational option they will be moving forward with for the remainder of the closure.