District of Columbia Public Schools to Require Masks In Fall

Masked students wait in a socially distanced single file line before heading to the cafeteria at an elementary school in Louisville, Ky., on March 17, 2021. Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Public schools in the District of Columbia will require masking for all students and staff this fall, according to officials.

Lewis D. Ferebee, chancellor of D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), said in a July 22 update on the 2021–2022 school year that health and safety measures for the fall semester would include enhancements to ventilation systems and cleaning protocols, social distancing as much as possible, and required face masks for all students, staff, and visitors.