SW Iowa Times

The Glenwood School Board approved a resolution that will allow students with medical issues to attend classes online through Edmentum Learning.

The Board also discussed an option that would allow students without medical needs to learn at home from a teacher in the school building. This provides an option for parents under Gov. Kim Reynolds order that at least 50% of classes be in person unless the school district receives a waiver from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

The Edmentum Learning option is going to cost the district an additional quarter of a million dollars. The synchronous option for non-medical students is not going to cost any additional money, however, those students will not receive all of the curriculum as they would in the classroom.

"We've identified 108 students in our district that have qualified for the medical (option), based on the survey results that we've done," Devin Embray, Glenwood School District superintendent, told KMA. "That could fluctuate with a few, one way or the other. Then, we've also identified about 72 to 75 students who would be interested in a non-medical approach to an online option."