School Year 2024-2025: Staying Healthy and Safe
As of May of 2023, the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency was lifted. At that time, COVID-19 efforts shifted from emergency response to managing COVID-19 in a less restrictive way.
At DC Public Schools (DCPS), we will continue to anchor our health and safety measures to current guidance from the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), DC Health, and the Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Policies will continue to be reviewed or adjusted for School Year 2024-2025 to address shifts in public health guidance.
Masks
Masks are optional within our schools, and we will foster an environment where all students and staff, whether they choose to wear a mask or not, feel respected.
All students and staff are welcome to wear a mask if they choose, and we will actively promote a climate where this choice is respected. Families who wish for their child to continue to wear a mask at school should have a conversation with their child about their expectations.
People who test positive for COVID-19 must wear a well-fitting mask when after returning to school through the 10th day from a positive test or onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
COVID-19 Vaccination
COVID-19 vaccination is not required but continues to be encouraged.
Vaccination is the best defense against the spread of COVID-19. Individuals are highly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including boosters if eligible. Visit vaccinate.dc.gov for information about the vaccine and free vaccination sites across the city.
Stay Home When Sick
People with symptoms of illness should stay home. While at school, if an individual begins displaying any of the following symptoms, they will be sent to the health suite for evaluation. If the school nurse is not onsite, the school will contact the assigned phone coverage nurse for further instructions and next steps. If the school nurse or health suite staff indicate that the student should be sent home, schools should contact the family and make arrangements for pick up.
Symptoms of possible COVID-19 include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Isolation and Return-to-School Guidance for Suspected or Positive Individuals
DC Law requires schools and childcare facilities to remove and exclude individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have symptoms of COVID-19 in accordance with to 22B DCMR §§ 209.1 — 209.8 for schools and 5A DCMR §§ 151.1 – 151.8, 162.4 and 118.4.
Staff or students who test positive for COVID-19 should alert their school leader and follow current DC Health Respiratory Illness Guidance for COVID-19, Flu & RSV. Individuals who test positive are encouraged to follow up with their health care provider.
The following individuals would be excluded from school and should stay home until meeting OSSE’s Return to School Criteria:
- Students showing COVID-19 symptoms but unconfirmed
- Students diagnosed with COVID showing no symptoms
- Students diagnosed with COVID who is experiencing mild symptoms
- Students diagnosed with COVID who had worse than mild symptoms
- Students diagnosed with symptomatic COVID-19 who is immunocompromised
- Students who have returned to school after exclusion but whose symptoms of COVID-19 recur or worsen
| Scenario | Exclusion Criteria |
| Students showing COVID-19 symptoms but Unconfirmed | May return to school after a negative COVID-19 test or upon submitting a licensed practitioner’s note stating the student’s symptoms are due to an alternate diagnosis. |
| Students diagnosed with COVID showing no symptoms | Must isolate for 5 days, returning to school on day 6 if they have not developed any symptoms. Must wear a well-fitting mask through the tenth (10th) day. |
| Students diagnosed with COVID who are experiencing mild symptoms | Must isolate for 5 days, returning to school on day 6 if they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-lowering medications and other symptoms have improved. Must wear a well-fitting mask through the tenth (10th) day. |
| Students diagnosed with COVID who are experiencing worse than mild symptoms | May return to school after ten (10) days if they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-lowering medications and other symptoms have improved. |
| A student diagnosed with symptomatic COVID-19 who is immunocompromised | May return to school after ten (10) days if they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-lowering medications and other symptoms have improved. |
| A student who has returned to school after exclusion but whose symptoms of COVID-19 recur or worsen | Must restart the exclusion criteria based on the categories above. |
In all cases where students are feeling ill, students may return after meeting proper isolation criteria and are fever-free for at least twenty-four (24) hours without use of fever-lowering medications, and other symptoms have improved.
DCPS staff returning to work should be fever free for 24 hours and mask through the 10th day from the onset of a positive test or symptoms. Staff should follow the school’s notification process for reporting sick leave.
COVID-19 Reporting
At this time, DC Health guidance no longer requires classroom notification(s) of a positive COVID-19 case. DCPS will no longer post public notifications or case numbers.
Outbreaks of 25 or more cases of COVID-19 within the school and tied to a school-based activity will be reported to DC Health via the School Nurse. In the event of an outbreak confirmed by DC Health, DCPS will send out a community letter.
Visiting Our Schools
There are no COVID-19 related visitor restrictions in effect. For more information about visiting our schools, please see the DCPS School Visitor Policy. Please note that in August 2023, DCPS issued Expectations for School Visitors for all parents, guardians, volunteers, and other visitors to DCPS schools.
Page updated: August 20, 2024
