03/20/2020 Update – The US. Dept. of Education has its COVID-19 resources page up. The state of Iowa now has its own Coronavirus general landing page up with lots of resources.

03/19/2020 – Childcare Resources: COVID-19 DHS Resources Page and the latest DHS childcare-specific guidance page.

03/18/2020 Update – The Iowa Department of Education put out new guidance yesterday dealing with IDEA questions and how they impact AEAs, districts, and nonpublic schools.  Updates from Fisher Phillips law firm on FMLA and paid sick leave changes.

03/16/2020 Update – Governor Reynolds has announced assistance for employees and employers affected by COVID-19 related layoffs. Additionally, the Dept. of Education has released new guidance, including information on distance learning affecting state accredited nonpublic schools.

3/15/2020 Update 2 – The Governor has released a statement and video encouraging Iowa schools to close for four weeks to help limit the spread of COVID-19 in Iowa. IACS is working with member schools to help determine the next steps. Public Health has released a statement too. Here is the latest Dept. of Ed. guidance.

3/15/2020 Update – “Community Spread” confirmed in Iowa. The IDPH has released further guidance based on this new development. The Iowa Legislature is now suspended for 30 days. We are not sure how this will affect the current status of bills or the schedule moving forward. Additional school districts are extending Spring Break but no new guidance is available. Check back here frequently!

3/13/2020 Update – The CDC released guidance on considerations for school closures. The Iowa Department of Education also released guidance on coronavirus for PK-12 this afternoon.

3/12/2020 Update – The Iowa Department of Public Health has released updated guidance on their website. Also, there is a specific guidance document for schools released today.

Many educators and parents are wondering how the recent outbreak(s) of COVID-19 affect Iowa’s schools and students. Although risk in Iowa is currently low, there are many things we can be doing to minimize risk and add to preparedness. There are many resources available online. We suggest sticking to trusted, verifiable sources when researching COVID-19 and planning your response. Below is a list of resources from State and Federal organizations.

Iowa Department of Public Health – Emerging Health Issues (Novel Coronavirus): Includes updates on Iowa cases and a “For Schools” section.

We have another post devoted to Centers For Disease Control links that may impact or have helpful information for your school.

Please let IACS know if you have questions or we can help track down information for you.