Which Austin-area schools are requiring masks? Check your child's district here
With area schools starting a new school year, Austin and Travis County on Aug. 11 issued orders requiring face masks in all county public schools, despite a state order banning local mask mandates. Hays County followed suit two days later. Not all school districts in those counties are following those local orders, however.
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School districts also have changed their policies amid ongoing legal battles and rising COVID-19 cases. Here are the mask guidelines for each district in Central Texas:
Austin ISD mask mandate
All individuals are required to wear masks on district campuses and property.
Bastrop ISD mask policy
Students and staff who are not fully vaccinated are recommended but not required to wear masks in district facilities.
Del Valle ISD mask mandate
The Del Valle school board passed a resolution for the superintendent to implement a mask mandate at all district properties.
Trustee Ann Heuberger cited the need to follow science and recommendations from scientists and physicians who have sounded the alarm about capacity in hospital systems and the potential for more cases.
"We need to make sure we use every option to stop the spread," she said.
Trustee Susana Woody also noted COVID-19's high toll for Austin's Eastern Crescent, which the Del Valle school district serves.
Eanes ISD mask mandate
The Eanes school district is requiring masks in its schools and plans to place unmasked students in "alternative learning spaces."
The school district was previously not enforcing Travis County's order because the order said it was "reliant on self-compliance." After county leaders removed that language, the school district directed schools to create alternate spaces for unmasked students.
The district has tried to straddle both local and state directives, and officials repeatedly have said they will follow the law. They said they will follow the local mandate as long as courts let it stay in place.
"Unless the Texas Supreme Court rules this order is superseded by an Executive Order from the Governor, the Travis County Order presently mandates masks in all schools in Travis County," officials said in a statement.
Elgin ISD mask mandate
The Elgin school district will mandate masks for all students and staff effective Aug. 17, the first day of classes.
"Our priority is and has been to return students to school, in-person 100%. To do so safely, we will enforce the wearing of masks until further notice," Superintendent Jodi Duron said in an online announcement.
Dripping Springs mask policy
The Hays County judge issued an executive order that stated "students, staff, and visitors over the age of two (2) will be required to wear a face covering while on school property or school buses." The order applies to all public schools, including public charter schools, grades K-12 in Hays County."
However, the Dripping Springs school district is keeping masks optional. Superintendent Holly Morris-Kuentz said the district will let the legal battles over mask mandates "play out."
"We are not changing our current protocols," she said at a school board meeting Aug. 16, where most parents spoke out against a mandate.
A few parents presented a petition with "almost 780" signatures in favor of a mask mandate.
In an Aug. 6 update, the district previously said masks would be optional under the governor's executive orders, but the district is offering a virtual learning academy for a limited number of unvaccinated students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Georgetown ISD mask policy
The Georgetown school district is keeping masks optional in schools, despite overwhelming calls for a mandate from parents at an Aug. 16 school board meeting.
At the meeting, district staff presented the district's safety plan, which does not include a mandate, and the school board did not take any action on the policy.
Hays CISD mask policy
Hays school district officials say they will continue only urging the use of masks and not requiring them, citing the governor's orders and the likelihood that the Texas Supreme Court will uphold them.
"Historically regarding COVID, the Texas Supreme Court has sided with the governor. So, we will continue to watch these legal developments very closely," Superintendent. Eric Wright said in an email to parents. "The court decisions will tell us what we must do."
Hutto ISD mask policy
The Hutto school district is strongly urging the use of masks among students and staff, according to an update posted on its website.
"As a school district, we have chosen to follow the governor’s order that restricts us from mandating masks — we will not issue a mandate we cannot enforce with our students and staff," district officials said. "Should the mask order be struck down, we will survey our staff and parents before taking further action. We strongly urge the use of masks."
However, the district says it will require masks for school visitors in elementary schools and on school buses because of a federal order that calls for the use of masks in public transportation.
"Visiting a campus and riding a bus are both choices people make. Requiring masks is enforceable in these instances," district officials said.
Lake Travis ISD mask policy
The Lake Travis school district is not requiring masks on campus. Its school board met on Aug. 26 to discuss updates to local and state mask orders, but the board did not alter the optional mask policy.
Spokesperson Marco Alvarado previously said district officials were looking into which order the district should follow in light of the conflicting orders from the state and the county.
Lago Vista ISD mask policy
Students and staff are strongly encouraged to wear a mask while on campuses and in district facilities. Masks will be available upon request.
The district is reviewing Travis County's order requiring masks, according to its website, and will communicate any changes to its health and safety protocols.
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Leander ISD mask mandate
The Leander school district is requiring masks for all students, teachers, staff members, and visitors inside buildings and on buses until Sept. 10. On Sept. 9, the school board will meet to consider extending the requirement.
About 10% of students have opted out of the requirement, Superintendent Bruce Gearing said at a board meeting.
The district started classes without a mandate, but Gearing announced the change on Aug. 17, citing recommendations from health officials in Travis and Williamson counties because of rapid rise of COVID-19 cases in Leander schools.
In addition to requiring masks, the district will cohort or separate students into pods, restrict access to only essential visitors, close water fountains and may close some classrooms.
Manor ISD mask policy
The district has made masks mandatory effective Monday, Aug. 16, after previously saying masks would be optional for students and staff.
In a statement posted Friday, the district said this decision came in part because of feedback from families and staff via a survey.
“Overwhelmingly, 85% of our parents and staff, respectively, said yes," the statement said. "To consider the desires of our community and staff, and in conjunction with the Austin/Travis County Health Authorities, we are implementing a mask mandate in all facilities and transportation throughout Manor ISD.”
Pflugerville ISD mask policy
The Pflugerville school district began requiring masks on Aug. 16 after opening on Aug. 12 with masks being "strongly encouraged." The district said it was requiring masks for students, staff and visitors in accordance with the current Travis County mask order.
The district said said on its website it is awaiting a final Supreme Court order relating to Travis County's order.
Superintendent Doug Killian said the change to a mask mandate policy was due to a new district court order blocking the governor's executive orders against school mask mandates in Travis County.
Previously, Killian had said he believed if the district defied the governor's order, it could backfire and increase the number of people not wearing masks in protest.
"I do not want our students or staff members to be used as political pawns in the game between our local and state officials," Killian said. "We are working with our legal advisors and watching the court system and the legality of mask requirements."
Round Rock ISD mask mandate
The Round Rock school board voted Aug. 17 to temporarily require all students, faculty, and visitors to wear masks.
The district initially allowed students and staff to opt out of the requirement, but the school board voted Aug. 24 to limit exemptions to those with "health or developmental conditions."
"My ultimate responsibility is the health and welfare of our students," Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez said when he first proposed the mandate. "We must look at the science, listen to the experts, and do what is right to protect them."
The mask requirement will expire on Sept. 17. The board is scheduled to meet Sept. 16 and could vote to extend the requirement if conditions warrant.
"As the public health climate continues to rapidly change, we must be willing to adapt and make decisions to protect our community as we know that masks are an essential tool in reducing the spread of COVID-19," Azaiez said.
Under the district's new mask protocol, all students, teachers, staff members, visitors and trustees must wear masks on buses and while inside school buildings when 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained.
Masks will not be required during athletics, fine arts and physical education classes unless deemed appropriate by the coach, director or instructor.
San Marcos CISD mask mandate
The San Marcos school board approved a mask mandate for employees and students in its facilities and buses. It passed 6-1 with Trustee Kathy Hansen against the move.
Wimberley mask policy
Face masks will continue to be optional for students and staff, despite a Hays County order requiring masks in public schools, according to an email sent to parents.
The district says it was advised by lawyers that Abbott is "the commander in chief of state agencies, boards and commissions having emergency responsibilities" under a disaster declaration.
"For that reason WISD will continue to follow the Governor's Executive Order in forming our own health and safety protocols," officials said in the email to parents.
– American-Statesman reporters Sarah Asch, Rebeccah Macias and María Méndez compiled this report.