The District and its legal team have continued to monitor the ongoing lawsuits challenging Governor Abbot’s Executive Order GA-38, which prohibits local governments from having mask mandates. 

The state-wide temporary restraining orders issued by courts in Travis County restraining Governor Abbott from enforcing the parts of Executive Order GA-38 that bar mask mandates are no longer in place. 

While the lawsuits Challenging Executive Order GA-38 are not over, right now the provisions of Executive Order GA-38 that bar mask mandates are effective.

In light of this legal development, at this time, the District is not requiring the wearing of masks.  The District continues to strongly urge employees, students, parents, and visitors to wear a mask.

Students will return to in person learning and campus staff will facilitate social distancing during the school day to allow for spacing during small group instruction, in hallways, and throughout the school day.  The District is not requiring the wearing of masks; however, students, staff, and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear masks whether they are vaccinated or not.  Face coverings protect individuals from getting and transmitting COVID-19.   

Physical and mental health supports will be available to students and staff as the district recognizes each student and staff member may have been impacted by COVID-19 differently; therefore, our approach to recovery must be unique to meet individual needs.  School counselors and other mental health supports will be available and social-emotional supports such as respect agreements and community building circles will be modeled and practiced with all students and staff to facilitate positive relationship building.  

No. Staff and students will not be required to submit a personal health assessment daily.  However, staff and students will report if they test positive for COVID-19.

• Staff will self-report testing positive for COVID-19 via the online link in SharePoint.
• Students will self-report or parents will report for their child if their student tests positive for COVID-19 via the FBISD Student Survey link located on each campus webpage. Families will use their child’s FBISD student e-mail and password to login to the FBISD Student Survey to report their child testing positive for COVID-19.

No. By entering a District facility, all visitors will confirm they do not have COVID-19 symptoms and have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the last ten days.

Students and staff are not required to submit a personal health assessment daily.  However, staff and students will report if they test positive for COVID-19by completing the FBISD Wellness Survey.

Each campus will communicate specific visitor guidelines to their school community as guidelines may vary by campus due to utilization and uniqueness.

Yes. The District will facilitate social distancing protocols in all buildings and facilities to the greatest extent possible.

Social distancing guidelines will be utilized during face-to-face interactions to avoid infection-spreading along with other mitigation measures such as hand washing, respiratory etiquette, as well as distancing 3 to 6 feet when possible.

Staff will review safety needs of each campus/facility, recommendations from the CDC, and/or guidance from our local health authority, and will make necessary adjustments to keep our students and staff safe.  It is important to note, in certain situations, staff members will need to interact at a closer distance to support individual student needs.

Campus staff will model and encourage at least three feet of social distancing when possible in the classroom and in common areas.

Yes. Cleaning and disinfecting are part of a broad approach to preventing infectious diseases in schools. Fort Bend ISD aligns protocols with guidance from national, state, and local authorities to ensure students and staff are provided safe and healthy learning and working environments.

• FBISD is following CDC, TEA, OSHA, and other public health guidelines, Fort Bend ISD has established protocols to keep our buildings safe and clean.
• When a situation warrants, we may close all or part of a building for disinfection, notifying the occupants of that building in advance as appropriate.
• Facilities will be cleaned throughout the instructional day.
• Enhanced Cleaning Protocols: Disinfectants used by the custodial staff are on the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of Disinfectants for use against SARSCoV-2.

Yes. Effective April 2021, playground structures are open for student use and to encourage play.  Social distancing is expected.

Yes. A letter will be provided to the school community when there is a reported positive case on campus.  In addition, students and staff identified as being a close contact to a positive case will be notified. Individuals identified as a possible close contact will be notified about possible exposure to an individual that reported testing positive for COVID-19.

Student Close Contacts:
The district's recommendation for students who are unvaccinated and have been identified as a close contact is to quarantine. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has indicated that "Parents of students who are determined to be close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 may opt to keep their students at home during the recommended stay-at-home period."  Parents' decision to choose to keep their child home for the health and safety of their student, their family, and others will be respected. A parent's decision to send their student who was identified as a close contact to school will also be respected as the TEA guidance on August 6, 2021, has described. Quarantine criteria are detailed below.  

If the parent chooses to quarantine their child; the child may return to school from quarantine:

• After 10 days of being symptom-free with no test
• After 5 days, following receipt of a negative COVID-19 Test (test must occur on day 5 or later) and being symptom-free

Student who are “fully vaccinated” or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days are not required to quarantine if exposed to a positive COVID-19 case. Proof of vaccination or testing positive in the last 90 days must be provided to the local health authority. However, the CDC does recommend that fully vaccinated people should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure, even if they do not have symptoms and they should wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.  Per CDC guidance as well as Fort Bend County Health Department as of August 6, 2021.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated: 

• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
• 2 weeks after their second does in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. 

Staff Close Contacts:
“Fully vaccinated” staff members, and those who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, who are identified as a close contact will report to work - unless they are ill or have symptoms- and follow the testing requirements below.  

Unvaccinated staff members who are identified as a close contact will be required to stay home -even if they have no symptoms or illness- and quarantine for five days after initial exposure, while following the testing requirements below.  During the quarantine period, employees can access additional sick leave by completing the District Additional Leave Days Form (COVID-19 District Days Request).  The Human Resources team will review, process, and communicate with the employee.  Should you have questions, please contact the Human Resources through Talent Connection, using the Leaves Interest Area. 

Staff Testing Requirements: Click here to view the FBISD Close Contact Testing Guidelines
Testing requirement for vaccinated, positive within last 90 days, and unvaccinated individuals

• Test five (5) days after the last day of close contact with the positive individual AND continue to wear a mask for five additional days.

Additional requirements for unvaccinated individuals:

• Return to work after receiving the second negative test result on day 5; AND continue to wear a mask for five additional days.

Yes. An unvaccinated individual that has traveled internationally should quarantine and can return to work or school after meeting the following requirements:

• After day 10 without testing - Quarantine for 10 days from the day they return into the United States. The person must be symptom free for the entire 10 days to return to campus and/or work. If the person starts to have COVID symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, then they must meet the three criteria for a positive COVID case to return to campus listed above.
• After day 7 with a negative COVID-19 test result performed on day 3 or after when returning into the United States

A fully vaccinated individual that has traveled internationally can return to work or school if they meet the following requirements:

• Proof of vaccination or testing positive in the last 90 days must be provided to thier campus nurse or direct supervisor. 
• Per CDC guidance, and as of October 25, 2021: Before arriving in the United States, all air passengers, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States. 
• After international travel:

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

• People are considered “fully vaccinated:
  • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
  • 2 weeks after their second does in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines

A person with symptoms that could be COVID-19 must meet one of the following to return to school/work:

• Obtain a negative COVID-19 test, and 24 hours have passed since start of symptoms or fever. OR
• Obtain a note from a physician indicating an alternative diagnosis, and 24 hours have passed since start of symptoms or fever. OR
• Persons who have COVID symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home or have not been evaluated by a medical professional may discontinue isolation under the following conditions; at least 24 hours have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; symptoms have improved; at least 5 days have passed since symptoms first appeared or date they tested positive; and continue to wear masks for 5 additional days. 

A person who tests positive for COVID-19 must stay home and report testing positive through the FBISD Wellness Survey.  The following criteria must be met to return to school/work:

• At least 5 days since symptoms first appeared; AND,
• At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication; AND,
• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving; AND
• Continue to wear maks for an additional five days.

*A negative COVID-19 test is NOT required.

No. Currently some immunizations are mandated by state law, yet the COVID-19 vaccine is not one of them, at this time.  As a result, Fort Bend ISD does not have the authority to require this vaccination or proof of their vaccination. However, if a student is required to quarantine due to travel or “close contact” to a positive case, proof of their vaccination can be provided to the District (their campus nurse) to be cleared from quarantine quickly instead of maintaining the required quarantine period.

Fully vaccinated individuals due not need to quarantine due to international travel or exposure to a positive COVID-19 case.

People are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after a single-does vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
• 2 weeks after their second does in a 2-does series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines

International Travel

No. Fully vaccinated individuals who have traveled internationally do not have to quarantine. 

People are considered "fully vaccinated":

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, OR
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

After international travel:

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms

If a fully vaccinated staff member or student starts having symptoms, to return to work one of the following criteria must be met:

• Obtain a negative COVID-19 Test, and 24 hours have passed since start of symptoms; OR 
• Obtain a note from a physician indicating an alternative diagnosis, and 24 hours have passed since start of symptoms; OR
• At least 24 hours have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; Symptoms have improved; at least 5 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; and continue to wear a mask for five additional days.

Yes. TEA has not issued any information regarding the nonacceptance of foreign exchange students.  The FBISD high school exchange student programs will continue to operate with the permission of the United States Department of State and The Department of Homeland Security for the 2021-22 school year.

• International student exchange participants may travel to the United States. As of January 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) require all travelers to the United States to present a negative COVID test taken no more than three calendar days prior to their arrival. This applies to international student exchange participants and citizens alike.
• High school students are eligible to receive visas to travel to the United States as designated by the United States Department of State and The Department of Homeland Security. While the speed of visa processing has slowed, consulates and embassies around the world continue to issue them.

Fort Bend ISD has closed the Virtual Learning Program (VLP) effective December 17, 2021. The District determined the VLP was no longer necessary based on the status of active cases in FBISD, availability of a COVID vaccine for all school-age children, responses to the VLP Parent Survey, and a current shortage of certified teaching staff. There are currently no plans to resume the VLP during the 2021 Spring semester.