Pasco Schools Transitions to ‘Masks Optional’ After May 28

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – Pasco County Schools’ requirement that students, staff, and visitors wear masks or face coverings on all Pasco school campuses and district offices will end at the close of business on Friday, May 28. After that date, masks and face coverings will be optional.

May 28 is the last day of school for teachers. Wednesday, May 26, is the last day for students. The mask requirement will effectively remain in place through the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

The “mask optional” change will affect high school graduations that occur after May 28. The district will encourage graduates and their guests to bring a mask, as it is likely that crowds will gather at concession stands prior to the ceremony. All but one of the graduations held after May 28 will be held outdoors in stadiums.

The “masks optional” approach also will affect the Extended School Year (summer school), which starts Monday, June 7.

Though it is impossible to predict what course the pandemic will take in the coming months, Pasco County Schools is fully expecting the “masks optional” approach to carry over into the 2021-2022 school year.