Last Updated: 03/30/2022

Mask Required vs Mask Optional Schools

(PUBLIC SCHOOLS ONLY)

Public Schools with Mask Mandates compared to Public Schools with no Mask Mandates.

report dates: between 09/11/2021 - 03/30/2022

*Enrollment Numbers were not readily available for all private schools. Private School enrollment estimates based off of Best Available Data and while public schools enrollment data comes from State OPI Website

Case numbers are based on data provided by the Montana DPHHS Demographics & Billings Public Schools.

BLUE -The number of new reported cases of covid-19 per week in schools with a mask mandate that requires a face covering on school property, per 10,000 students, is shown as a blue line. GREEN -The number of new reported cases of covid-19 per week in schools where masking is optional on school property, per 10,000 students, is shown as a green line. The YELLOW area shows covid-19 cases reported in Yellowstone County by RiverStone Health on their covid-19 dashboard by week per 10,000 residents. The calculation used to determine students cases is: (# covid cases * 10,000) / enrollment. The calculation used to determine county cases is: (# covid cases * 10,000) / County population.

Between 09/11/2021 - 03/30/2022 we found that Mandatory Mask Schools reported a higher percent of cases in 11 out of 27 weeks, while Mask Optional Schools reported a higher percent of cases 14 times during that same period, when adjusted for cases per 10,000 students.

Public Mask Required Schools

Public Mask Required Schools: 46 Total Cases:902

*Est Enrollment: 17,457 || Percentage Positive: 5.17%

School:	Total Cases:	ENR:	Percent:
Alkali Creek School	27	332	8.13%
Arrowhead School	26	417	6.24%
Beartooth School	9	352	2.56%
Ben Steele Middle School	17	802	2.12%
Bench School	10	298	3.36%
Big Sky Elementary	13	358	3.63%
Billings Public Schools	33	0	0.00%
Billings Senior High School	83	1,773	4.68%
Billings West High School	86	2,075	4.14%
Bitterroot School	21	300	7.00%
Boulder School	17	485	3.51%
Broadwater School	13	313	4.15%
Burlington School	11	119	9.24%
Canyon Creek School	7	194	3.61%
Career Center School	7	0	0.00%
Castle Rock Middle School	40	682	5.87%
Central Heights School	9	281	3.20%
Eagle Cliffs Elementary	20	403	4.96%
Elysian Elementary School	2	262	0.76%
Elysian Middle School	2	120	1.67%
Elysian School	11	262	4.20%
Highland School	10	250	4.00%
Independent School	9	293	3.07%
Lewis and Clark Middle School	25	717	3.49%
Lincoln Center	5	0	0.00%
McKinley School	9	268	3.36%
Meadowlark School	22	508	4.33%
Medicine Crow Middle School	32	579	5.53%
Miles Avenue School	14	252	5.56%
Newman School	18	219	8.22%
No Mask Mandatory 02-23-22	0	0	0.00%
No Mask Mandatory 03-03-22	0	0	0.00%
No Mask Mandatory 03-09-22	0	0	0.00%
No Mask Mandatory 03-16-22	0	0	0.00%
No Mask Mandatory 03-23-22	0	0	0.00%
No Mask Mandatory 03-30-22	0	0	0.00%
Orchard School	12	283	4.24%
Poly Drive School	16	306	5.23%
Ponderosa Elementary School	16	280	5.71%
Riverside Middle School	20	546	3.66%
Rose Park School	13	245	5.31%
Sandstone School	15	406	3.69%
School District 2	70	0	0.00%
Skyview High School	87	1,617	5.38%
Washington School	15	262	5.73%
Will James Middle School	30	598	5.02%
Sum Totals:	902	17,457	5.17%

Public Mask Optional Schools

Public Mask Optional Schools: 60 Total Cases:286

*Est Enrollment: 23,825 || Percentage Positive: 1.20%

School:	Total Cases:	ENR:	Percent:
Alkali Creek School	1	332	0.30%
Arrowhead School	0	417	0.00%
Beartooth School	0	352	0.00%
Ben Steele Middle School	0	802	0.00%
Bench School	0	298	0.00%
Big Sky Elementary	0	358	0.00%
Billings Public Schools	0	0	0.00%
Billings Senior High School	2	1,773	0.11%
Billings West High School	1	2,075	0.05%
Bitterroot School	0	300	0.00%
Blue Creek School	14	178	7.87%
Boulder School	1	485	0.21%
Broadview School	1	148	0.68%
Broadwater School	0	313	0.00%
Burlington School	0	119	0.00%
Canyon Creek School	0	194	0.00%
Career Center School	0	0	0.00%
Castle Rock Middle School	0	682	0.00%
Central Heights School	0	281	0.00%
Custer Public School	1	104	0.96%
Eagle Cliffs Elementary	0	403	0.00%
Elder Grove Schools	40	617	6.48%
Elysian Middle School	0	120	0.00%
Elysian School	8	262	3.05%
Graff Elementary School	7	283	2.47%
Highland School	0	250	0.00%
Huntley Project Schools	24	717	3.35%
Independent School	0	293	0.00%
Laurel High School	21	632	3.32%
Laurel Middle School	13	593	2.19%
Laurel West Elementary School	3	258	1.16%
Lewis and Clark Middle School	0	717	0.00%
Lincoln Center	0	0	0.00%
Lockwood High School	35	219	15.98%
Lockwood Intermediate School	14	363	3.86%
Lockwood Middle School	11	417	2.64%
Lockwood Primary	12	331	3.63%
Lockwood Schools	10	0	0.00%
McKinley School	0	268	0.00%
Meadowlark School	0	508	0.00%
Medicine Crow Middle School	0	579	0.00%
Miles Avenue School	0	252	0.00%
Morin Elementary	0	42	0.00%
Newman School	1	219	0.46%
Orchard School	0	283	0.00%
Pioneer School	9	63	14.29%
Poly Drive School	0	306	0.00%
Ponderosa Elementary School	0	280	0.00%
Riverside Middle School	1	546	0.18%
Rose Park School	0	245	0.00%
Roundup Elementary	8	258	3.10%
Roundup School	12	257	4.67%
Sandstone School	0	406	0.00%
School District 2	0	0	0.00%
Shepherd Schools	22	777	2.83%
Skyview High School	0	1,617	0.00%
South Elementary School	4	115	3.48%
Washington School	0	262	0.00%
West School	10	258	3.88%
Will James Middle School	0	598	0.00%
Sum Totals:	286	23,825	1.20%