With Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds recently signing the requirement for schools to provide a 100-percent in-person learning option into law, Iowa Senator for District 10 Jake Chapman agrees with the change. 

Chapman supports the legislation as he believes most school districts were offering in-person learning during the pandemic, but some schools weren’t following suit. 

“There are some schools, however, not only did they not meet that they were violating State law and a court determined that they were violating the law and still ignored what the law was and so we just came forward and said it’s time for parents to have a choice.”

Chapman says there are important factors in requiring schools to offer 100-percent in-person learning such as reports that students are failing at a higher rate on assessments and giving families the option to send their children to school. 

“A number of them have reached out to me and said how can the school continue to do this. I am having to choose between providing for my child or staying home and doing online.”

Public schools will be required to offer a 100-percent in-person learning option by February 15th.