URBANDALE, Iowa - A Des Moines area year-round school has reversed direction, and will now start classes July 23rd online only.
The Urbandale school board had approved in person classes at Rolling Green Elementary School with a face mask requirement for staff and students.
But the school district says a "substantial community spread of COVID-19" has led it to change course. There's been a steady rise in COVID-19 cases in Iowa during July, and Polk County accounts for roughly one-fifth of the cases.
The plan for Rolling Green Elementary to open with on-site classes had came as President Trump and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have called for all schools to reopen with in-person learning in the fall.
DeVos reiterated her call for schools to resume in-person classes in the fall on CNN’s "State of The Union" Sunday.
Rolling Green Elementary is one of a handful of year-round schools in Iowa.