Thursday, July 28, 2022
As the new school year approaches, Milwaukee Public Schools has revised its policy for wearing masks in schools. The district will continue to require masks to be worn at all schools, sites, and activities when the community level in Milwaukee County is rated in the High category as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC updates its COVID-19 Community Level data weekly on Thursdays. The district will follow the CDC COVID Data Tracker as the source for COVID data in Milwaukee County. Using this data, MPS will make determinations every Thursday, with mask requirements being updated for the following school day and subsequent week.
The CDC ranking for community levels includes indicators such as hospital admissions and hospital occupancy rates by COVID-19 patients. Positive test rates are considered less reliable than they were previously due to increased rates of home testing.
If COVID-19 levels drop into the Low or Medium category as determined by the CDC, MPS will transition to optional mask wearing. The district will send communications to families, staff, and the community any time the mask policy changes.
MPS will continue to provide masks for students, families, and staff at all schools and sites.
As a reminder, MPS schools on the early start calendar begin on Monday, August 15. Schools on the traditional start calendar begin on Tuesday, September 6.