Masks will remain optional at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) for the upcoming school year, the deciding factor being Milwaukee’s community transmission level.
The Milwaukee Public Schools Board discussed its mask policies and other Covid-19 safety measures at its meeting Thursday night.
MPS leaders are now aligning their masking policy with the CDC’s community levels tool. Therefore, masks will remain optional unless it reaches a transmission rate considered “high.” When its at a high level, which is greater than 20%, masks will be required in all MPS schools.
If a student or staff member tests positive, they will need to stay home for five days and will need to mask up when they return for the next five days.
Instead of measuring COVID-19 spread by city testing numbers alone, the district will now use a tool that monitors the spread in all of Milwaukee County. Also during the meeting, MPS leaders said they will discuss if masks are optional every Friday during the upcoming school year.