SAN JOSE, CA – Following the recent announcements by federal and state public health officials regarding indoor mask-wearing requirements for students and staff in schools, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is in support of the newly released California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines. The new CDPH face-mask guidance for the K-12 setting states that for the 2021-2022 school year, “K-12 students are required to mask indoors, with exemptions per CDPH face-mask guidance” and “adults in K-12 school settings are required to mask when sharing indoor spaces with students.”
“It is important for all students to have access to a safe learning environment and universal mask-wearing has proven to be one of the most effective mitigation strategies to prevent in-school transmission of COVID-19,” says Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, County Superintendent of Schools. “We will work through this upcoming transition back to full in-person instruction with the guidance and continued support of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. In partnership, we will work to protect the health and safety of our students, their families, and our staff."
The recent increase in cases, which are attributed to more contagious variants, highlights the importance of wearing face coverings indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Universal masking reduces the frequency of required quarantine and minimizes the need for physical distancing, allotting more in-person instructional time for students. As was the case throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year, the latest CDPH guidance states students who have a medical or behavioral contraindication are exempted from this requirement.
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About the Santa Clara County Office of Education
Working collaboratively with school and community partners, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is a regional service agency that provides instructional, business, and technology services to the 31 school districts of Santa Clara County. The County Office of Education directly serves students through special education programs, alternative schools, Head Start and State Preschool programs, migrant education, and Opportunity Youth Academy. The SCCOE also provides academic and fiscal oversight and monitoring to districts in addition to the 22 Santa Clara County Board of Education authorized charter schools.
For more information about the Santa Clara County Office of Education, please visit www.sccoe.org and follow us @SCCOE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.