Some parents have been calling for an end to school masking for months, but health officials were hesitant, especially since kids have among the lowest vaccination rates in the state, and kids under five still aren't eligible.
Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly says by March 12, transmission rates are expected to be even lower, and it will be safer for kids and educators to remove their masks.
"This feels like the right time. There's the data that supports it, both on the transmission end and on the hospital impact side," said Ghaly.
Ghaly says local governments can still require masks in schools or other places based on their cases and hospitalization rates.
That kind of local control is supported by the California Teachers Association, the state's largest teacher's union.
