Southwest Illinois schools are setting mask policies for the fall. Here's where they stand

Jul. 16—After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health released new reopening guidance on July 9, schools in the metro-east are beginning to share their return-to-learn plans for the fall.

Here's what we know so far about the new guidance:

—The new federal guidance emphasizes local control to make decisions based on local conditions. Schools have far more freedom in developing their plans than last year, when masking and social distancing were required by IDPH and the Illinois State Board of Education.

—Public school districts cannot require students get vaccinated. The vaccines required for schools are determined at the state level, and the latest CDC guidance does not recommend requiring the COVID vaccine.

Here's what the COVID mask policies will be for metro-east school districts in the coming school year:

—Freeburg High School adopted a mask-optional policy.

—Highland CUSD 5 students will not be required to wear masks.

—In Collinsville CUSD 10, parents are pushing against the district requiring masks. The district will share its plan July 23.

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