Des Moines Register: Des Moines Public Schools plans to ask the Iowa Department of Education for permission to push back the start of the school year until after Labor Day and seek additional authorization to begin classes fully online. Superintendent Tom Ahart said the district anticipates a spike in COVID-19 cases in Central Iowa at the end of August. He announced the changes this afternoon in a meeting with school board members. The board will consider the proposal before submitting a request to the state.