CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — Cabarrus County school leaders met Monday evening to discuss the district's mandate on face masks in the classroom, deciding to keep the mask mandate for the time being.
Masks are currently required for students, staff and board members after a vote in August. North Carolina state law requires districts to vote on mask policies once a month.
Cabarrus County district leaders determined Monday the mandate will revert could masks once the district reaches the "yellow" column of the three COVID-19 metrics provided by the board of education's COVID-19 task force
- 5-8% percent positive weekly rate
- within 281-546 positive cases within 14 days
- 20-35 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the county
The board also approved raising pay for bus drivers. Cabarrus County currently has around 50 openings. The measure will raise driver pay to $16 an hour from $14.89. An increase of 7.45% will be applied to the state salary schedule for bus drivers up to the state maximum in addition to any increases passed by state legislation. For any staff who do not receive an increase due to the state maximum, they will receive a one-time $500 bonus.
The move is projected to cost $501,000 for the first year, but a state reimbursement will apply in the second year.
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