CORALVILLE, Iowa -- State officials will return to Cornerstone Christian School after the school defied a Department of Human Services order to close June 23, according to a news report in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

The school closed its 2003 Summer Day Program on June 13, to comply with the DHS order, but has extended a Vacation Bible School program, which was set to end June 23.

The school was cited during a May 21 inspection for 20 childcare licensing violations, including lack of certification for employee CPR, first aid and mandatory child abuse reporter training. The school was cited for an imbalance of staff-to-child ratios as well.

Church officials countered that they are not a daycare and are exempt from state regulation.

"We are continuing the ministries of the church as we have for the past 20 years," said Dirk Holsomback, administrator for the school and associate pastor for the Tabernacle Baptist Church.

On June 16, the church started a weeklong VBS, which continues to operate while improvements to the school are made. The school is run by Tabernacle Baptist, which conducts a Christian day school during the academic year. About 40 children ranging in age from preschool to sixth grade were said to take part in the VBS program.

The DHS has yet to determine whether the Bible school is exempt from regulation, the newspaper reported. The department has the power to decide whether the program now being offered at Cornerstone falls under the definition of a childcare center or is truly a VBS, which would be exempt from state regulation.

All childcare centers that care for more than 14 children must be licensed through the DHS, said spokesman Roger Munns. The typical VBS is a free special event that operates for no longer than one week or 10 days and is held part of the day, he said.

Calls to church attorneys about whether the church was charging parents for the VBS were not immediately returned.

"When people who take care of other people's children for money, parents should expect that safety regulations for their children be followed," Munns said. "It's not a religion issue, it's been about safety all along."