WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD)— Students are set to return to school for the 2021-2022 school year in a matter of days in most areas of Northeast Louisiana, and parts of Arkansas if they have not already begun.
Amid the current COVID-19 Delta variant surge, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edward’s recent decision to reinstate the mask mandate for vaccinated and unvaccinated people and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson’s declaration of a state of emergency; many want to know what school districts will be requiring masks for students and which will not. Will some back-to-school start dates be pushed back?
For more Coronavirus News CLICK HERE
The Union Parish School District has already announced that classes for the 2021-2022 school year will be delayed until September 7, 2021.
Parents of some students in the Ouachita Parish School system have protested outside of a board meeting in West Monroe, expressing their concerns in regards to the administration announcing masks for students inside the classroom will be a requirement when they return.
Below you will find a list of school districts in our coverage area, and whether or not wearing a mask is a requirement and start dates for students in each district.
LOUISIANA SCHOOLS
- OUACHITA PARISH – Start Date 8/16 – Mask Mandate
- LINCOLN PARISH – Start Date 8/19 – Temporary Mask Mandate
- UNION PARISH – Start Date 9/7 – Mask Mandate
- MOREHOUSE PARISH – Start Date 8/16 – Mask Mandate
- CALDWELL PARISH –Start Date 8/12 – Mask Mandate
- RICHLAND PARISH – Start Date 8/16 – Mask Mandate
- FRANKLIN PARISH – Start Date 8/11 – Mask Mandate
- MADISON PARISH – Start Date 8/12 – Mask Mandate
- TENSAS PARISH – Start Date 8/5 – Mask Mandate
- LA SALLE PARISH – Start Date 8/18 – Mask Mandate
- CATAHOULA PARISH – Start Date 8/13 – Mask Mandate
- WINN PARISH – Start Date 8/6 – Mask Mandate
- CONCORDIA PARISH – Start Date 8/16 – N/A
- EAST CARROLL PARISH – Start Date 8/24 – N/A
- WEST CARROLL PARISH – Start Date 8/16 – N/A
ARKANSAS SCHOOLS
Masks Required For Students/Staff
- El Dorado School District
- Camden Fairview School District
- Strong-Huttig School District
- Warren School District
- Monticello School District
Masks Required For Students/Staff considering Covid Positivity Rate
- Magnolia School District
Masks Not Required but “strongly recommended”
- Junction City School District
- Parkers Chapel School District
- Hamburg School District
- Smackover-Norphlet School District
- Fordyce Public Schools
Districts TBA
- Crossett School District
- Drew Central
- Emerson Taylor Bradley
