Dear Families,

At this evening’s regularly scheduled School Board meeting, Board members voted to extend the existing mask mandate for an additional 30 days. The mask mandate is now in place until October 15, 2021. The Board allows for a medical exemption opt-out of the mask mandate.

Before this evening’s decision, the Board was presented evidence that suggests the mask mandate is helping to keep positive cases and quarantines lower in our schools:

• August 18 – Mask mandate instituted. 10,722 student/staff impacted by positive case or quarantine;
• August 20 – Greatest number of students and staff impacted. 13,485 student/staff impacted by positive case or quarantine;
• September 8 – 5,647 students/staff impacted - a 58% decrease from August 20.

The district will continue following other mitigation strategies on campus that are recommended by the CDC including having hand sanitizer in all buildings and encouraging hand washing throughout the day. The district will also work with our health partners to provide opportunities for vaccination clinics.

The Board and the District will continue to monitor the situation along with our local health partners.

Thank you,

Hillsborough County Public Schools