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School responses in Maine to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

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Responses by state


As students returned to school for the 2021-2022 school year, states set a variety of policies on education and the COVID-19 pandemic, including how schools should open to in-person instruction and whether students and staff would be required to wear masks. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, about 66% of students nationwide were in states that left closure decisions to schools or districts, 33% were in states with state-ordered in-person instruction, and 1% were in states with state-ordered regional school closures.[1][2] All 50 states closed schools to in-person instruction at some point during the 2019-2020 school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

This article summarizes responses to the coronavirus in Maine schools in the academic years ending in 2020, 2021, and 2022. You will find:


Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This page is updated monthly, but our email is always open. We encourage you to share updates from local officials, policymakers, and campaigns in your community at editor@ballotpedia.org.


Timeline by school year

Below is a list of major events involving schools in Maine during the coronavirus pandemic between 2019 and 2022, including school closings and openings, mask requirements, and the release of statewide operating guidance. Know of something we missed? Click here to email us and let us know.

2021-2022 school year

  • Sept. 9, 2021: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio, a school data aggregator, reported six in-person schooling disruptions in Maine.[3][4]


2020-2021 school year

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported a majority of schools were in-person in Maine .[5][6]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported about half of schools were in-person in Maine .[7][8]
  • July 31, 2020: The Maine Department of Education released guidance for reopening public schools for the 2020-2021 school year. The guidance required all staff and students age five and older to wear masks.[9]


2019-2020 school year

  • April 7, 2020: Gov. Janet Mills (D) recommended that schools in the state remain closed for the rest of the academic year.[10]
  • March 31, 2020: Mills issued a stay-at-home order effective from April 2 to April 30. Although schools in Maine had handled closures at a local level, this order extended closures statewide through April 30.
  • March 20, 2020: The Portland School Department, the largest district in the state, along with several others, announced closures until April 27.[11]
  • March 18, 2020: Mills recommended that all schools in the state close indefinitely. At that time, school closures were handled at a local level and the majority had already closed.[12]

Mask and vaccine requirements in the 2021-2022 school year

Mask requirements in schools

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

As of August 1, 2022, no states had school mask requirements in effect. Forty-two states left mask requirements in schools up to local authorities. Seven states banned school mask requirements.

The table below shows statewide school mask requirement laws and orders in states with school mask requirements or school mask requirement bans in place at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

Mask requirement orders
State Ban or requirement? Type of order Date lifted or altered
Arizona Ban Legislative action N/A
Arkansas Ban Legislative action Sept. 30, 2021 - Suspended by court action
California Requirement California Department of Public Health order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Connecticut Requirement Executive order Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Delaware Requirement Executive order March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Florida Ban Executive order N/A[13]
Georgia Ban Legislative action N/A
Hawaii Requirement Executive order Aug. 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Illinois Requirement Illinois Department of Public Health order Feb. 4, 2022 - Suspended by court action[14]
Iowa Ban Legislative action May 16, 2022 - Reinstated by court action[15]
Kentucky Requirement Kentucky Board of Education order Sept. 9, 2021 - Suspended by state law
Louisiana Requirement Executive order Feb. 16, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[16]
Maryland Requirement Maryland State Board of Education order March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[17]
Massachusetts Requirement Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education order Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[18]
Nevada Requirement Executive order Feb. 10, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Jersey Requirement Executive order March 7, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Mexico Requirement New Mexico Public Education Department order Feb. 17, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New York Requirement Executive order March 3, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Oklahoma Ban Executive order N/A
Oregon Requirement Oregon Health Authority and Department of Education order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Pennsylvania Requirement Pennsylvania Department of Health order Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Rhode Island Requirement Executive order March 4, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
South Carolina Ban Legislative action Sept. 28, 2021 - Temporarily suspended by court action
Tennessee Ban Executive order Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Texas Ban Executive order N/A[19]
Utah Ban Legislative action N/A
Virginia Ban Legislative action N/A
Washington Requirement Washington State Department of Public Health order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action

School mask requirements over time

School mask bans over time


Teacher and school employee vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

Seven states had issued a statewide requirement for K-12 teachers and staff to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or receive regular coronavirus testing during the 2021-2022 school year. The table below shows teacher and staff vaccine requirement laws and orders in states that issued such policies during the 2021-2022 school year.

Vaccine requirement orders
State Testing instead of vaccination allowed? Type of order Date effective
California Yes California Department of Public Health order Oct. 15, 2021
Connecticut No Executive order Sept. 27, 2021
Delaware Yes Executive order Nov. 1, 2021
Illinois Yes Executive order Issued: Sept. 19, 2021
Suspended by court action on Feb. 4, 2022
New Jersey Yes Executive order Oct. 18, 2021
New York Yes Executive order Sept. 19, 2021
Oregon No Executive order Oct. 18, 2021
Washington No Executive order Oct. 18, 2021


Student vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

On Oct. 1, 2021, California was the first state to announce a vaccine requirement for eligible students. Louisiana also announced a vaccine requirement for eligible students on Dec. 14, but then announced the state would be removing the coronavirus vaccine from the list of required immunizations in schools on May 18, 2022.

School reopenings and closures (2020-2021 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2020-2021 academic year

Initial school year operating plan

See also: Documenting America's Path to Recovery: July 29, 2020

Maine released an initial operating plan for the 2020-2021 school year on July 7, 2020. An analysis of this plan appeared in our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter on July 29. The sections below include an analysis of the plan, the details of the plan, and reactions from officials to the plan.

On Friday, July 17, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) and the Maine Department of Education released guidance for reopening schools, titled “Framework for Returning to Classroom Instruction.” The framework consists of a series of safety measures, including six requirements for reopening schools, and a color-coded categorization system for classifying the risk of COVID-19 spread in counties. The system was designed by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to guide school administrative units (SAU) in deciding the model of instruction to adopt at the beginning of the school year.

On March 31, Mills closed schools through April 30. On April 7, Maine’s commissioner of education, Pender Makin, recommended that schools remain closed for the rest of the academic year.

In announcing the Framework, Mills said, “Decisions on how best to return to school will be made in Maine, not in D.C. Individual districts and communities who know their schools best will, based on the conditions on the ground, decide for themselves how and when to reopen.”

Maine does not have a statewide date for public schools to reopen. According to EdWeek, public schools in Maine traditionally start the academic year between the middle of August and early September. Individual districts determine the start date.

Context

Maine is a Democratic trifecta. The governor is a Democrat, and Democrats hold majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

The following tables show public education statistics in Maine, including a rank comparing it to the other 49 states. Rank one is the highest number of each figure, rank 50 is the lowest. All data comes from the Common Core of Data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Maine school metrics
Category Figure Rank
Per pupil spending (16-17) $15,724 16
Number of students (18-19) 175,254 42
Number of teachers (Fall 2016) 14,750 41
Number of public schools (18-19) 599 42
Student:teacher ratio (18-19) 12.0 49
Percent qualifying for free/reduced lunch (16-17) 45.5% 31


Maine school revenue
Category Figure Rank
Total revenue $2,737,132,000 41
Federal revenue percent 7.0% 39
State revenue percent 39.4% 42
Local revenue percent 53.6% 12

Details

District reopening plans
Maine's guidance includes a mixture of requirements and recommendations. It includes six requirements that school administrative units must implement as a baseline to reopen.

School administrative units can decide when to start the school year and how or whether to return students to classrooms. Each school administrative unit is required to develop and maintain an Emergency Operations Plan.

The six requirements for schools are:

  • Symptom Screening at Home Before Coming to School (for all Staff and Students)
  • Physical Distancing and Facilities
  • Masks/Face Coverings
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Return to School after Illness

In-person, hybrid, and online learning
The guidance includes a color-coded risk classification system that schools can use to determine which model of instruction to adopt based on the risk of COVID-19 spread in the county. The three colors are red, yellow, and green:

  • Categorization as “red” suggests that the county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that in-person instruction should not be conducted.
  • Categorization as “yellow” suggests that the county has an elevated risk of COVID-19 spread and that hybrid instruction models should be adopted.
  • Categorization as “green” suggests that the county has a relatively low COVID-19 risk and that in-person instruction can be adopted as long as the school can implement the 6 Requirements for Safely Opening Schools in the Fall (the requirements are listed directly below this green box) – although a SAU may opt for hybrid instruction if its buildings or readiness make adhering to the required Health and Safety Measures for All Schools a challenge.

Schools are not required to follow the guidelines for each color. However, schools must implement the six requirements regardless of the risk categorization of the county in which it resides.

Mask requirements
Masks are required for most students, staff, and teachers in all schools.

  • Adults, including educators and staff, are required to wear a mask/face covering.
  • Students age two and above are required to wear a mask/face covering that covers their nose and mouth.
  • Masks/face coverings must be worn by all students on the bus.
  • Face shields may be an alternative for those students with medical, behavioral, or other challenges who are unable to wear masks/face coverings. The same applies to staff with medical or other health reasons for being unable to wear face coverings. Face shields worn in place of a face covering must extend below the chin and back to the ears.

In-person health recommendations and requirements
Staff and students are required to check themselves for symptoms before coming to school.

  • Students (parents/caregivers) and staff members must conduct self-checks for symptoms prior to boarding buses or entering school buildings each day. Schools should provide information to families in their primary language to support them in conducting this check.
  • Any person showing symptoms must report their symptoms and must not be present at school.
  • Schools must provide clear and accessible directions to parents/caregivers and students for reporting symptoms and absences.

The guidance requires adults to maintain six feet of distance from other adults and students, while students are permitted to stay three feet from other students in most cases.

  • Adults must maintain 6’ of distance from others to the extent possible. Maintaining 3 ft distance is acceptable between and among students when combined with the other measures outlined in this list of safety requirements.
  • 6’ physical distancing is required for students while eating breakfast and lunch, as students will be unable to wear masks at that time.
  • A “medical isolation room” must be designated for students/staff who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms during the school day.
  • Adequate ventilation is required for classrooms, with schools having flexibility in implementation such as using properly working ventilation systems or outdoor air exchange using fans in open window or door.
  • Groups in any one area, room, or classroom must not exceed the Governor’s gathering size limits.

The guidance includes some of the following recommendations for student learning:

  • Build in learning and practice for remote learning when students are in-person so that everyone is prepared.
  • Emphasize project-based, interdisciplinary learning activities which can provide both organic formative assessment opportunities, high engagement, and efficient delivery of many skills and concepts.
  • Plan to provide equitable services (consider low-tech and no-tech options in addition to online learning; quasi-independent projects that can be completed with minimal resources at home) for each critical skill/concept/set of standards.
  • Keep equity at the forefront of decision-making around grouping.
  • Conduct needs assessments for students regarding access to technology, an adequate at home learning space, basic needs such as nutrition, to gauge their abilities and needs to access remote learning.

Transportation and busing requirements and restrictions
Students are required to apply hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting a bus. All students must wear masks while riding the bus. The guidance includes the following recommendations for transportation:

  • School bus contractors collaborate with SAUs to adopt cleaning and disinfecting protocols, referencing use of products with valid label claims against human coronavirus and product label instructions, that will be used when each run is complete for all school buses and school transportation vehicles.
  • Consider supplementing local SAU transportation protocols with the School Transportation Aligned for the Return to School (STARTS) Task Force national recommendations that are estimated to release mid-July.
  • Adopt local implementation procedures for transportation staff and students who ride the school bus to wear a cloth face covering and accommodate students with special or medical needs that may not be able to wear a cloth face covering. Follow U.S. DOT NHTSA guidance letter about school bus driver shields that is estimated to release mid-June.
  • Work with local special education and McKinney-Vento staff and student families to develop a COVID 19 transportation protocol for each special needs and homeless student.

Map of school closures

The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.

As of July 8, 2021, the status of school closures and reopenings was as follows:

  • Two states (Delaware, Hawaii) and Washington, D.C. had state-ordered regional school closures, required closures for certain grade levels, or allowed hybrid instruction only.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 410,896 students (0.81% of students nationwide)
  • Thirteen states had state-ordered in-person instruction.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 15,697,460 students (30.96% of students nationwide)
  • One state (Arizona) had state-ordered in-person instruction for certain grades.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 1,152,586 students (2.27% of students nationwide)
  • Thirty-four states left decisions to schools or districts.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 33,449,499 students (65.96% of students nationwide)



School reopenings and closures (2019-2020 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2019-2020 academic year


The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

  • States closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 48
  • Number of public school students in states closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 50,261,464


The chart below shows the first date schools in a state were closed to in-person instruction during the 2019-2020 academic year, divided by the political party of the governor.

School responses by state

To read about school responses to the coronavirus pandemic in others states, click one of the following links below:

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Number of operating public schools and districts, student membership, teachers, and pupil/teacher ratio, by state or jurisdiction: School year 2019–20," accessed September 10, 2021
  2. ↑ EducationWeek, "Map: Where Were Schools Required to Be Open for the 2020-21 School Year?," June 14, 2021
  3. ↑ To read more about Burbio's school disruption tracking, click here
  4. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed August 27, 2021
  5. ↑ Burbio rated Maine's in-person index at 70.5. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  6. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 6, 2021
  7. ↑ Burbio rated Maine's in-person index between 40-60. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  8. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 6, 2021
  9. ↑ WGME, "Maine releases color-coded guide for schools to consider in reopening plans," July 31, 2020
  10. ↑ WGME, "Gov. Mills, Department of Education recommend schools remain closed for school year," April 7, 2020
  11. ↑ Portland Press Herald, "Maine schools extend coronavirus closures until late April," March 20, 2020
  12. ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Janet Mills orders Maine eateries closed for dine-in service, bans gatherings of more than 10," March 18, 2020
  13. ↑ On Sept. 2, 2021 the ban was temporarily suspended by court action. An appeals court upheld the ban on Sept. 10.
  14. ↑ Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) ended the statewide school mask requirement on Feb. 28, 2022.
  15. ↑ On Sept. 13, 2021 the ban was temporarily suspended by court action for all schools. On Jan. 25, 2022, the ban was partially reinstated.
  16. ↑ Oct. 26, 2021 - School districts could be exempt from the school mask requirement if they followed CDC quarantine guidance
  17. ↑ Dec. 7, 2021 - School districts could be exempt from the school mask requirement if they met one of the three following criteria: 1) the county vaccination rate was 80% or higher, 2) 80% of school staff and students were vaccinated, or 3) COVID-19 transmission in the county was considered moderate or low for 14 straight days.
  18. ↑ Oct. 1 - Schools could become exempt from the school mask requirement when at least 80% of students were vaccinated
  19. ↑ On Nov. 10, 2021 the ban was suspended by court action. An appeals court upheld the ban on Dec. 1.
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