Teachers, faculty, and staff should utilize transparent, see-through masks if they regularly interact with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, students learning to read, students with disabilities, and those who rely on lip reading as a part of learning, such as students who are English Language Learners.

Please refer to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on providing transparent masks for use in K-12 schools and colleges and universities. Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), deaf/hard of hearing students and parents are entitled to “effective communication,” and participants in an education setting can request a reasonable modification to existing mask policies, including alternative face coverings such as the ClearMask™ brand.