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See the latest news and updates about COVID-19 and its impact on the Charlotte region, the Carolinas and beyond.

Here's Which Charlotte-Area School Districts Are Requiring Face Masks

Updated Sept. 16, 12:01 p.m.

Federal, state and local health officials urge schools to require masks as the best way to slow the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant and keep students safely in school. But many parents say the decision should be theirs, not the government’s.

Most North Carolina schools open Monday. Some Charlotte-area school districts are requiring face masks. We'll be updating this list as we learn about changes.

Masks Required

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
CMS will require masks for all students, staff and volunteers. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board voted on the requirement July 30.

Catawba County Schools
Catawba County Schools requires masks beginning Sept. 1. The district opened with masks optional but reversed itself on Aug. 31.

Iredell-Statesville Schools
Iredell-Statesville Schools requires masks beginning Sept. 1. The district opened with masks optional but reversed itselfon Aug. 31.

Anson County Schools
Anson County Schools will require masks for students and employees. The county school board voted on the requirement July 26.

Lincoln County Schools
Lincoln County Schools reverted back to its masks-optional policy, effective Sept. 29, in a school board vote Sept. 14. The Board of Education also voted that Lincoln County students and staff will no longer have to quarantine unless they are positive for COVID-19, symptomatic, or have a quarantine order from the health department. Previously, masks were required after a Aug. 18 decision in response to high community spread.

Gaston County Schools
Gaston County Schools will require masks for students and employees through at least Sept. 20. The county school board made the decision Aug. 16.

Cabarrus County Schools
Cabarrus County Schools will require masks for students and employees when school starts. The county school board made the decision Aug. 16.

Stanly County Schools
Stanly County Schools will require masks for employees and students until positive COVID test results are below 7.9% for two weeks. A Stanly County teacher died of COVID-19 last year. The board voted Aug. 3.

Mooresville Graded School District
Mooresville Graded School District requires masks for students and employees. The decision was made four days after classes began as mask-optional.

Rowan-Salisbury Schools
Rowan-Salisbury Schools requires masks for all students, staff and visitors, effective Aug. 18. The decision was made Aug. 18.

Caldwell County
Caldwell County Schools began requiring masks inside as of Aug. 30, based on rising COVID-19 cases.

Union Academy
The year-round Union Academy charter school requires masks as of Aug. 18. The decision was made Aug. 2 after initially allowing masks to be optional if parents requested exemption. Infections caused more than 150 students and staff to quarantine before the school decided to enforce the mandate.

Piedmont Charter
The board of Piedmont Community Charter School in Gastonia voted Aug. 19 to require masks, reversing its earlier decision to make them optional, according to The Gaston Gazette.

Masks Optional


Union County Schools
Union County Schools have a mask-optional policy as of Aug. 18. On Sept. 13, the Board of Education also voted to stop quarantining students and staff after a possible exposure to COVID-19 unless they have symptoms or a positive coronavirus test.

More Districts


Didn't see your school district above? The North Carolina School Board Association is keeping a running tally. Check here.

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Updated: August 31, 2021 at 9:03 AM EDT