°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳

States

What’s Up With Mask Requirements in Schools? 6 Things to Know

By Stacey Decker & Holly Peele — February 14, 2022 | Updated: February 15, 2022 1 min read
Image of a mask being held by two hands.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

There’s been a flurry of activity nationwide around masks in schools.

Last week, officials in seven states announced their school mask requirements were ending. Some are considering going even further and banning schools from setting universal mask mandates. That’s despite the current recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that all students and adults age 2 and older wear face coverings in schools to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

When states get rid of mask policies, it puts the onus on district leaders to decide whether or not to require students and staff to mask up. That’s a high-stakes decision that greatly impacts vulnerable students and their families. It’s also complex. Districts have to weigh multiple factors that go beyond just community infection rates.

See Also

Two students wearing masks and backpacks in front of lockers.
E+

And when state officials ban universal mask mandates in schools, whether by law or by executive action, leaders in districts that have them have to pivot or, as has happened elsewhere, defy their state.

°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ has been monitoring state-level mask policies this school year. To help the K-12 community brace for the impact of upcoming changes, here’s a look at what’s ahead:

What’s going on with mask requirements?

  • Currently, 13 states and the District of Columbia require masks to be worn in schools, down from a high of 18 states and the District of Columbia earlier this school year.
  • By March 31, requirements in six of these states will have ended. Those states are Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
  • Only a handful of states have not announced a final end date for their mask requirements, although some are set to expire in coming weeks. California is their mandate on Feb. 28.

What about mask mandate bans?

  • Currently, four states have bans in effect that prevent school districts from setting universal mask mandates: Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
  • Six additional states have such bans, but they have been blocked or suspended by the courts.
  • In recent weeks, legislation has been introduced in some states, including and , that would ban schools from requiring masks or would allow parents to opt out of any mask requirement.

Want to know your state’s policy? °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ is tracking state policies on masking in school here.

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum Big AI Questions for Schools. How They Should Respond 
Join this free virtual event to unpack some of the big questions around the use of AI in K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

States Which States Require the Most—and Least—Instructional Time? Find Out
There's no national policy dictating how much time students must attend classes each year. That leads to wide variation by state.
2 min read
Image of someone working on a calendar.
Chainarong Prasertthai/iStock/Getty
States More States Are Testing the Limits Around Religion in Public Schools
A wave of state policies mixing public education and religion are challenging the church-state divide in public schools.
4 min read
An empty classroom is shown at A.G. Hilliard Elementary School on Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
An empty classroom is shown at A.G. Hilliard Elementary School on Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. Texas's state school board has approved a curriculum with Bible-infused lessons, the latest of a wave of state policies challenging the church-state divide in schools.
David J. Phillip/AP
States A State Changed Anti-Bias Guidelines for Teachers After a Lawsuit. Will Others?
The lawsuit filed by a conservative law firm took issue with state guidelines on examining biases and diversifying curriculum.
5 min read
Students arrive for classes at Taylor Allderdice High School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2024.
Students arrive for classes at Taylor Allderdice High School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2024. As part of a recent court settlement, Pennsylvania will no longer require school districts to follow its set of guidelines that sought to confront racial and cultural biases in education.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
States In Deep-Red Florida, Voters Reject Partisan School Board Races
Florida voters rejected a constitutional amendment to make school board races partisan.
2 min read
Image of a board room.
Collage by Laura Baker/°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ (Images: DigitalVision Vectors; E+; iStock/Getty)