The Sioux City Community School District is moving forward, for the second time, with the construction of a permanent space for the virtual academy.
The proposal presented to the school board Monday night estimated a cost of $1.59 million to remodel the second floor of the Educational Services Center for the VIBE Academy.
The completion date is now estimated for November 2022.
In January, the initial attempt was denied due to a low bid of $1.93 million from W.A. Klinger, $450,000 above the initial estimate of $1.48 million.
Today, a legislative committee approved emergency rules that will let Iowa school districts continue to use paraeducators hired to work with individual students as substitute teachers in any classroom.
This morning's action by the legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee was necessary as the governor's public health emergency proclamation, which had allowed paraeducators to be subs during the pandemic, expires at midnight.
The committee is also proposing legislation telling schools to make a reasonable faith effort to find substitute teachers and ending the policy after this school year is over.
A House panel has advanced a bill that could cause Iowa employers to lose their business license if they knowingly hire people who aren't authorized to work in the United States. Stakeholders overwhelmingly oppose the bill, including business groups and those advocating for immigrants' rights.
Brad Hartkopf (HEART-cough) with the Iowa Association of Business and Industry says the penalties in the bill are "draconian" and that no neighboring states have this policy.
The only group registered in favor of the bill has a history of anti-immigrant positions. A similar bill has advanced in the Iowa Senate this year.
The two Republican House lawmakers who approved the bill today say it needs changes to keep advancing in the legislature.
