Earlier today, Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent George Arlotto announced that he would be recommending to the Board of Education the lifting of the mask mandate in all AACPS buildings as part of his update on school system operations at tonight’s Board meeting.

The Board of Education voted tonight, 8-0, to remove the mask mandate in all public schools. Masks will now be optional in AACPS schools starting Friday, February 18th.

The recommendation comes after receiving confirmation from the Maryland Department of Health this afternoon that more than 80 percent of eligible Anne Arundel County residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Statewide school masking regulations adopted by the Maryland State Board of Education provide three pathways through which a local school system can lift the mandate. One of those allows that to happen through when a county reaches 80 percent vaccination rate.

“Our case rate in Anne Arundel County has been below 20 for the last week and below 15 for the last five days,” Dr. Arlotto said. “I believe the appropriate move at this time is to make masks optional for all of our students and employees.”

After receiving confirmation from the Maryland Department of Health this afternoon that more than 80 percent of eligible Anne Arundel County residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19, Superintendent George Arlotto announced today that he will recommend the Board of Education vote tonight to lift the mask mandate immediately in all Anne Arundel County Public Schools buildings.