DC Health has issued guidance giving schools discretion in determining whether masks and other mitigation strategies are in the best interest of their school communities.
DC Public Charter School Board supports this new guidance from DC Health, and respects the decisions that public charter schools are making regarding COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including mask requirements.
When deciding to keep or relax mask requirements, schools consider several factors, including, but not limited to: the surge caused by new variants (e.g., BA.2 omicron sub-variant); the number of unvaccinated students at school; the impact that an increase in school-based transmission could have on school operations and attendance; and the predictability of continuing the status quo for the remainder of the school year.
To learn a school's specific considerations in deciding to keep their mask requirement, please reach out to the school directly.