This week, the Texas Education Agency released new guidance regarding the upcoming school year.According to guidance, schools will not have to conduct contact tracing if students test positive for COVID-19.According to the agency, schools can't impose mask requirements on students but must permit them to use them.10 Things in Politics: Get the latest news in politics and economics Loading... Click Sign up to receive marketing emails and other offers from Insider.Texas Education Agency released new guidelines this week that stated that schools in Texas won't be required to conduct contact trace if students are positive for COVID-19."Given that data from 2020-21 shows very low COVID-19 transmission rate in a classroom setting, and data demonstrating lower transmissions rates among children than adults," the TEA stated in the new guidelines.It stated that school systems should inform students' parents if they are aware of a student being a close friend.According to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, the data used by the agency in deciding against mandatory contact tracing was from an era where many students did not attend in-person classes. According to the guidelines, schools must inform the Texas Department of Health about any student who tests positive for the disease.To reduce the spread of the disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that schools do contact tracing. The CDC recommends that close contacts who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 be tested. However, they do not need quarantine. According to the CDC, close contacts who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 should be quarantined at home for 14-days.According to the TEA, schools do not have to notify parents if a student tests positive for the disease in a specific district, school or classroom. The document doesn't give guidelines to school districts on how to prevent spread of the disease, but only how to respond if a student is positive.The guidance also stated that schools will not be allowed to impose a mask mandate upon students. This is based on a July executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, prohibiting mask mandates.In July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance advising students and school staff to conceal their vaccination status. This was in response to the rise in COVID-19 in the US.According to the TEA, schools should allow students to wear masks if necessary.The TEA guidance states that schools can conduct rapid testing on students using funds from the "state" or other sources to identify COVID-19 cases. The guidelines state that testing can be done on staff and students, with parental permission.
