Des Moines district won’t extend superintendent’s contract

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The board of Iowa’s largest school district narrowly decided not to extend its embattled superintendent’s contract beyond June 2023. The Des Moines school board voted 4-3 Thursday not to extend the contract of Superintendent Tom Ahart, who has been at odds with state officials over the district’s decision to stick with remote learning at the start of the school year. At the time, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds had ordered all schools to provide at least half of their instruction in person despite the coronavirus pandemic. Ahart also faces a hearing later this week over whether he will lose his state superintendent’s license over the district’s decision not to hold classes in person to start the year.