DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Education says sports activities will be suspended if a school goes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department released a statement on frequently asked questions Friday that included guidelines for extracurricular activities. It indicated schools would have to stop athletics and other extracurricular activities while conducting 100 percent online learning.
“All in-person activities and practices would need to be suspended during the period of 100% remote learning," the statement said. "Offering in-person activities would be incompatible with the goal of mitigating higher rates of virus transmission. Extracurricular activities could still be conducted virtually."
Last month, Governor Kim Reynolds called for schools to hold 50 percent of classes in-person. Reynolds said districts who ignore the guidance would lose credit for the online only days of instruction. She further said school administrators could face licensure discipline.
Des Moines Public Schools has said it intends to start classes this month entirely online, and would shift to in-person learning for elementary and middle school students when safe.
The Waukee district will also defy the governor's directive for moving to online only classes by doing so when COVID-19 rates reach a lower threshold than the state has set.