DALLAS — Many districts in North Texas are sticking to current mask policies through the end of the school year, while others will weigh the decision during board meetings.
Face mask requirements can be removed by a district's school board, according to the Texas Education Agency.
So far, Melissa ISD in northern Collin County and Weatherford ISD in Parker County have decided to make face masks optional.
Other districts have upcoming meetings planned where they will discuss the mask policy, like Pilot Point ISD, Krum ISD and Joshua ISD.
Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the mask mandate would be lifted starting March 10.
The TEA released updated guidance for school districts last week, saying schools must still require every student, teacher, or staff member to wear masks on school property or during school activities.
Health experts and local leaders have asked people to continue wearing face coverings to protect themselves and their neighbors and to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Here's what we know so far from districts in North Texas:
Allen ISD
The district will continue with current health and safety protocols through the remainder of the school year, the district said on March 4.
Argyle ISD
The district said on March 5 that they will continue face mask requirements for students, teachers and staff. Masks are not required for pre-K through 3rd-grade students.
Carroll ISD
The district will continue to require face masks. The Board of Trustees decided to not make any changes to the safety protocols at a meeting Monday, March 8.
Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD will continue with current masking policies through the rest of the school year, the district tweeted March 4.
Cedar Hill ISD
The district will continue wearing masks until the Center for Disease Control and other medical leaders deem it safe.
Coppell ISD
The district will continue to adhere to district guidelines requiring masks for students, staff and visitors as long as there are substantial or moderate levels of COVID-19, the district said.
Dallas ISD
Students and staff must wear masks inside buildings at all times. The district will continue working with county, state and federal leaders.
Candace Fleming has three school-age children currently attending Dallas Independent Schools.
"The question is do I leave [the kids at school] or do they come home?" Fleming said. "It's still very real and too much of a risk and it's not worth taking."
Denton ISD
The district is "taking a look at what this means for our learning environment, but please understand the safety of our students and staff is our top priority."
Duncanville ISD
The district will maintain current safety measures, including wearing face masks. The district is awaiting guidance from the TEA and Dallas County Health and Human Services, said Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith.
Fort Worth ISD
The district will continue to adhere to the current district health and safety practices.
Frisco ISD
The district is awaiting more guidance from the governor and the TEA on how it will impact schools. It will continue to require face masks until a determination is made.
Garland ISD
The district will continue to follow guidelines of wearing a mask and will monitor and adjust as needed. The safety of students and staff are a top priority, the district said.
Greenville ISD
Masks will continue to be required.
"The safety of our students, staff and community members is always our top priority," the district said.
Grand Prairie ISD
The district is waiting for more guidance from the TEA and local health officials.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
There are no changes to the current health and safety protocols. The district is waiting for more information from the TEA.
Superintendent Dr. Robin Ryan says the district will continue to wear face masks.
Highland Park ISD
The district said it plans to continue following its current safety protocols until at least spring break. The district will review any future guidance from the TEA and meet to discuss possible changes at that time.
Irving ISD
All students and staff are still required to wear masks "for the foreseeable future," the district tweeted on March 5.
Joshua ISD
The district will continue requiring face masks through March 12. The district is soliciting feedback from the community and parents. The next board meeting is on March 29 where the data will be presented.
Keller ISD
The district will continue to require masks and follow TEA and local health department guidance as to how this announcement affects public schools.
Krum ISD
The district will continue requiring face masks as it awaits to hear further guidance from the TEA. The board plans to discuss the mask requirement at a meeting 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 10.
Lancaster ISD
Lancaster ISD will continue to follow CDC and Texas Health and Human Safety guidelines to maintain the health and safety of students and staff. The district will provide additional information as it becomes available from the Texas Education Agency.
Lake Worth ISD
All students and staff are required to continue wearing face masks, the district tweeted March 4.
Lewisville ISD
Masks will continue to be required and the district will remain in Level Orange until the district has the opportunity to consult with local health experts and make a decision with the best interest of students and staff in mind.
Will maintain the current protocols and expectations, including the requirement to wear face masks through the end of the school year, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Rogers said.
McKinney ISD
The district will continue current requirements of face coverings for all students ages 10 and up, as well as staff member through the rest of the year, the district said on March 5.
Melissa ISD
The district said that starting March 10, all face masks will be optional for students, staff and visitors at the district. That includes district facilities, school buses and school-sanctioned events.
Mesquite ISD
Mesquite ISD will continue with current face mask policies and other safety strategies.
"We are encouraged that the number of active cases and quarantines in MISD are trending downward, but we will remain diligent in our monitoring and reporting efforts," the district tweeted on March 4.
Northwest ISD
The district said it is awaiting guidance from the TEA to know how the order affects schools.
Pilot Point ISD
The board of trustees for Pilot Point ISD plans to discuss the face mask requirement during the board meeting on Wednesday, March 10.
Plano ISD
Until district officials receive additional guidance from the TEA regarding the specific impact of this new order on schools, face masks are still required to be worn in Plano ISD buildings, facilities and at all district events.
Princeton ISD
The district is waiting for guidance from the TEA and will continue with current procedures.
Sunnyvale ISD
Superintendent of Sunnyvale ISD Doug Williams said he is going to wait on guidance from the Texas Education Agency. Williams said he will consult with the school board and gather input from his teachers and parents.
Williams said the governor's announcement is an unneeded interruption. He said the focus should be on the learning gaps and how his teachers are not a priority for a vaccine.
"If the kids are not required to wear a mask will our teachers have the protection of the vaccine? That's got to happen, it's got to happen now," said Williams.
Weatherford ISD
Masks are optional for students and staff to continue wearing face masks, the district wrote in an announcement.
During the board meeting on March 8, the trustees adopted a resolution to lift the mask mandate.
“Before making this decision, we gathered input from our families and staff. Both surveys yielded the greatest number of responses ever received," School board president Mike Guest wrote in the announcement. "We reviewed the survey data, read comments submitted from families and staff, and examined the declining trend of positive COVID-19 cases in both Weatherford ISD and in Parker County."
The district will continue to use desk dividers, cleaning and E-misting strategies, hand hygiene and social distancing.
The district shared survey results:
WISD Survey Results
Parents:
2,940 responses
58.9% (1,729) in favor of lifting the mask requirement
41.1% (1,205) in favor of keeping the mask requirement
WISD Staff
902 responses
60.4% (545) in favor of lifting the mask requirement
39.6% (357) in favor of keeping the mask requirement