The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education [DESE] announced on Monday, January 10, that its Commissioner, Jeffrey Riley, extended the mask wearing requirement in Massachusetts schools through February 28.
Each school remains able to lift the mask requirement if it can show an 80 percent vaccination rate of all students and staff in a school building. According to DESE, a school who meets the 80 percent threshold makes a local decision, in consultation with local health officials, on lifting the mask requirement.
The aspects of the mask requirement in schools include:
Public school students ages 5 and older in all grades and staff are required to wear masks indoors in schools, except when eating, drinking or during mask breaks.
All visitors are also expected to wear a mask in school buildings, regardless of vaccination status.
Masks are not required outdoors.
It is strongly recommended that students younger than 5 also wear a mask in school, which is consistent with the Department of Early Education and Care’s mask policy for child care providers.
Students and staff who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons and students who cannot wear a mask for behavioral reasons are exempt from the requirement.
Masks are required for any sports-related activity for student-athletes and coaches when indoors, in alignment with guidance provided by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).
Masks should be provided by the student/family, but disposable masks should be made available by the school for students who need them.
By federal public health order, all students and staff are required to wear a mask on school buses.
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to empower the Commissioner of DESE with authority to require masks in Massachusetts public schools in its August meeting. Riley said he would revise the requirement based on public health data.