KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Starting Monday, Osceola County's school district will require masks in elementary, K-8 and middle schools.
What You Need To Know
- All schools but high schools will be affected by the mask mandate
- Opt-outs will be available
- Related: Back to school in Florida: A question of masks, quarantines and more
Details are still being worked out, but the school board approved the decision Tuesday.
The mask mandate will affect all public schools except for high schools, since students are old enough to be vaccinated there.
Opt-outs will be available, in keeping with rules allowed by the Florida Board of Education. Three other Central Florida school districts have similar mask mandates. Orange and Seminole counties approved their mandates earlier this month, while Marion County approved its mask mandate on Monday.
Orange County's school district says about 7% of its student population has opted out of wearing masks, while in Seminole County about 17% of students have opted out.
The decision to have a mask mandate comes as a growing number of students and staff in Florida either have COVID-19 or are under quarantine.
The most recent report from Osceola County Schools shows 128 students with COVID-19, and 50 school personnel.