FRISCO, Texas — Face masks for Frisco ISD students and staff will be optional, starting June 1. The announcement came during a May 10 school board meeting.
During the presentation and discussion on COVID protocols, district officials cited the drop in positive cases of COVID-19 in Texas and the rise in people who are vaccinated as one of the reasons for removing the mandate.
On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration expanded its emergency use authorization of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds.
Face masks are currently required for students and staff through the rest of the school year by the Texas Education Agency, but the requirement can be removed by a district's school board. The last day of school for Frisco ISD is May 21. The June 1 start date of the new policy coincides with the start of summer school.
Masks are optional at some other districts in North Texas, including Joshua ISD, Weatherford ISD, Carroll ISD and Melissa ISD.
During the presentation, district officials also said they "want to make sure no student is treated differently on their campus" if they choose to wear a face mask or choose not to.
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During the summer, the district will still implement 6-foot social distancing when possible.
Starting June 1, the district's COVID dashboard will be taken down. Parents will still be notified if there is a positive case in their child's classroom. Quarantines will only be required for those who test positive. These protocols will remain in place for the fall semester.
The district is still awaiting guidance from the TEA on health and safety protocols for the summer and fall. If there are certain requirements, the district's protocols could change.
The statewide mask mandate was lifted in March, but businesses are still allowed to require face masks.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that the new mask policy was announced during the presentation by district officials during a May 10 school board meeting; it was not an item that the board voted on.