schools

In Pinellas, the change takes effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday, the final day of the school year. In Polk, where classes ended May 27, it became effective Wednesday morning.

It would allow parents to request that children in kindergarten through fifth grade be retained to help them catch up.

School districts in the greater Tampa Bay region are getting ready for a particularly important summer session aimed at mitigating some of the learning challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After weeks of contentious meetings that included racially charged public comments, the board unanimously voted to end face mask requirements.

Orlando-area pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones and elementary school principal Seth Daub join "Intersection" for a conversation about navigating the new normal as the pandemic recedes.

The vote won't affect the current school year, since it comes a day after students' last day of class, but would make masks optional at graduation and summer school.

It's unclear how the nation's largest school district will be able to accommodate 100% of its students in person under current social distancing guidelines.

The Sarasota Department of Health says the change is based on CDC guidance, which states that fully vaccinated people can resume normal activities.

Looking forward, the nation’s fourth-largest school district may make masks optional for the 2021-22 school year.

But no vote is imminent in Hillsborough County as some parents are demanding the face-mask policies end immediately.