KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Starting Monday, Osceola County's school district mask mandate will go into effect for elementary, K-8 and middle school students.
What You Need To Know
- All schools but high schools will be affected by the mask mandate
- Parents can opt out of the new policy by sending their child to school with a note
- More: Information on Osceola County Schools' new mask policy
- Related: Back to school in Florida: A question of masks, quarantines and more
Parents can opt out of the new policy — which will be in effect until at least Oct. 4 — by sending a note to their child's teacher or the front office of their school. The child's name, student ID number and a parent's signature are required to opt out, district officials said.
The Osceola County School Board approved the decision on Aug. 17.
The mask mandate will affect all public schools except for high schools, since students are old enough to be vaccinated there.
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 Aug. 16.
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.