Masks

Education news, analysis, and opinion about research and policy on students and staff wearing face masks in school to combat the spread of the coronavirus
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Sunlake High School chemistry teacher Dave Maggi, right, orients his students during the first day of school for Pasco County Students on Aug. 10, 2021, in Land O' Lakes, Fla.
Dave Maggi, a chemistry teacher at Sunlake High School in Land O' Lakes, Fla., introduces his students—most unmasked—to his classroom's routines and expectations on the first day of school last August. Universal masking requirements in schools are quickly giving way to mask-optional policies as the pandemic approaches its second anniversary.
Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP
School & District Management Masks Are Coming Off. Who Benefits? Who Is at Risk?
After nearly two years of COVID-19-induced restrictions, millions of people—including students and staff in K-12 schools—are ditching masks.
Catherine Gewertz, March 1, 2022
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7 min read
Students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) school in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York.
Students wearing masks leave the New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math (NEST+m) School in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, late last year in New York.
Brittainy Newman/AP
States States Are Dropping School Mask Requirements. Here's the Latest and What's Ahead
By the end of this week, only five states and the District of Columbia will still mandate universal masking in schools.
Stacey Decker & Holly Peele, February 28, 2022
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2 min read
Kindergarten students sit in their classroom on the first day of in-person learning at Maurice Sendak Elementary School in Los Angeles on April 2021.
Kindergarten students sit in their classroom on the first day of in-person learning at Maurice Sendak Elementary School in Los Angeles on April 2021.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Federal What the CDC's Relaxed Mask Recommendations Mean for Schools
Federal officials adopted new metrics that will give districts the green light to end mask mandates in a broad swath of the country.
Evie Blad, February 25, 2022
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6 min read
Crystal Curtis and her son, Jordan Curtis, outside their home in Plano, Texas.
Crystal Curtis and her son, Jordan Curtis, stand outside their home in Plano, Texas. Curtis talks about the challenges of ensuring quality schooling and her discomfort with the state and district’s rollback of mandatory masking.
Allison V. Smith for Education Week
School Climate & Safety In Their Own Words 'COVID Is Not Over Us': As Pandemic Lingers, a Texas Mother's Dismay Deepens
A mother describes her frustrations over masking policies, staffing shortages, and the quality of education her honor roll son has received.
Stephen Sawchuk, February 25, 2022
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7 min read
Emily Jeter helps her son Eli, a kindergarten student, get his mask on before heading into his Tulsa, Okla., elementary school in August 2021.
Emily Jeter helps her son Eli, a kindergarten student, get his mask on before heading into his Tulsa, Okla., elementary school in August 2021.
Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP
Federal CDC Plans Update to Indoor Mask Guidance. How Could That Apply to Schools?
The CDC will soon update its general masking guidance, but has yet to say how any changes will affect recommendations for schools.
Evie Blad, February 16, 2022
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3 min read
Image of a mask being held by two hands.
sestovic/E+
States What's Up With Mask Requirements in Schools? 6 Things to Know
There's been a flurry of recent activity around masks in schools. Here's what you need to know.
Stacey Decker & Holly Peele, February 14, 2022
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1 min read
First Graders Alex Albin, left, and Tyler Custodio wear masks in Amanda McCoy's first grade class at the newly-rebuilt Addison Mizner School in Boca Raton, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. Palm Beach County Schools opened the school year with a masking requirement with an opt-out option.
First Graders Alex Albin, left, and Tyler Custodio wear masks in Amanda McCoy's first grade class at the newly-rebuilt Addison Mizner School in Boca Raton, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. Palm Beach County Schools opened the school year with a masking requirement with an opt-out option.
Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP
Law & Courts Fla. Districts That Required Masks Could Face $200 Million Punishment
School districts say they tried to keep students and their families safe when they required students to wear masks last year.
Brooke Baitinger, South Florida Sun Sentinel, February 10, 2022
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4 min read
Chalk sidewalk drawings call on students to wear masks as they arrive for the first day of school at Union High School in Tulsa, Okla., in August 2020.
Chalk sidewalk drawings call on students to wear masks as they arrive fat Union High School in Tulsa, Okla., in August 2020.
Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP
States Four States to End School Mask Rules. Will Others Follow?
Educators await decisions from their governors about whether to continue universal mask requirements in schools.
Evie Blad, February 7, 2022
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5 min read
Two students wearing masks and backpacks in front of lockers.
E+
Student Well-Being & Movement What the Research Says When Can Schools Get on the Mask 'Off-Ramp'? 4 Questions to Consider
As the latest pandemic wave recedes, education leaders have new considerations for universal masking policies. Here's what the research says.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 4, 2022
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9 min read
Pioneer Valley Regional School District Interim Superintendent Patricia Kinsella in the hallway at Pioneer Valley Regional School in Northfield, Mass., on January 14, 2022.
Pioneer Valley Regional School District Interim Superintendent Patricia Kinsella in the hallway at Pioneer Valley Regional School in Northfield, Mass., on January 14, 2022.
Angela Rowlings for Education Week
School & District Management In Their Own Words 'You Shouldn't Be Alone': A Superintendent Scrambles to Find Masks After the State Falls Short
The superintendent of a rural district spends hours scrolling online mask vendors after the state sent defective masks to schools.
Mark Lieberman, February 1, 2022
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5 min read
Rear view of school teenage boy with face protective mask in front of the school.
E+/Getty
School & District Management How the Evolving Science on COVID Precautions Puts District Leaders in a Bind
For principals and district leaders, trying to keep schools open during the ever-evolving pandemic can be complex and a source of friction.
Evie Blad, January 27, 2022
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7 min read
Illustration of a woman with 6 mask options all around her and several question marks and coronavirus pathogens floating around her.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Budget & Finance Schools Are Scrambling to Find Effective and Affordable Masks
High-quality masks can be expensive and scarce, with districts even competing to find and secure them for students and staff.
Mark Lieberman, January 21, 2022
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9 min read
Juliana Ramirez, 8, a third grader, often crawled into her closet to minimize distractions from her younger siblings when Zooming into school during lockdown last year.
Juliana Ramirez, a 3rd grader, often crawled into her closet to minimize distractions from her younger siblings when Zooming into school during lockdown last year.
Julia Robinson for Education Week
Law & Courts In a Major Ruling on School Masks, Federal Judge Sides With Vulnerable Students
The ruling that a Texas ban on mask mandates discriminated against students with disabilities could reverberate elsewhere.
Evie Blad, November 11, 2021
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5 min read
COVID face masks and gavel
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Law & Courts Schools in Most States Are Shielded From COVID Lawsuits. It May Not Help
Many states ban such suits, but just the threat can wreak havoc. Some districts have already lost insurance coverage for COVID claims.
Mark Lieberman, November 11, 2021
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5 min read
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