Maryland education leaders took steps to mandate masks in public schools across the state, a move intended to keep students inside their classrooms for in-person learning as schools reopen amid a surge in the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

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       The measure comes as most of the state’s 24 local school systems have already passed mask requirements, including the two largest, in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

       According to state officials, counties without a mandate as of this week included Carroll, Dorchester, Somerset and Worcester.

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       The proposal adopted by the Maryland State Board of Education Thursday came in the form of emergency regulations on face coverings, bypassing the usual process for public notice and comment and limited in duration to a maximum of 180 days.

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       To take effect, the regulations must be approved by the state’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review, part of the General Assembly.

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       Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said in a statement that the joint committee would “work expeditiously to approve this emergency regulation” — a view also expressed by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County).

       “I applaud the Maryland State Board of Education’s common sense vote to protect our children,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “The AELR Committee will vote to approve this regulation.” She also called on Gov. Larry Hogan (R) to suspend a 10-day wait period that is part of the process.

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       The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance in July urging that masks be worn indoors at school, regardless of vaccination status, in response to the spread of the delta variant. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) recently mandated that everyone must wear masks inside the state’s K-12 schools. D.C. Public Schools also has a mask requirement.

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       Maryland state officials have previously strongly recommended masks.

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       State board members said their interest in a mask mandate stemmed from a determination to keep students in school buildings for classes, rather than increase the possibility of being sent home to quarantine when cases arise.

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       The mandate could also help to prevent public school closures, state officials said.

       “My view is, if we’re going to require students to be back in school for in-person instruction, then we need to require masks for the protection they provide,” said board member Charles R. Dashiell.

       Student board member Kevin Bokoum emphasized the board’s consistent support for in-person instruction and pointed to the learning loss that came with virtual instruction.

       “A mask is simply, barely, not even a burden.” he said. “Anything is better than having to go back online. And to opponents of wearing a mask: Would you rather have your kids be back online? Would you rather have all of these shutdowns again?”

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       Bokoum noted that quarantines, should they happen, stand to affect high school sports, too, including football games and soccer matches. Getting back to “a normal life pre-covid is something that we look forward to,” he said.

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       The emergency regulations, which do not make a distinction by vaccination status, say all individuals must cover their nose and mouth with a face covering unless they are specifically exempted.

       Those exempt include children under age 2; people with a disability that prevents masking; anyone eating or drinking and seated; those actively exercising; and students engaged in authorized sleep time.

       Board member Rachel McCusker, who is a teacher, said students did well with masks last school year and few went home sick.

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       “It’s my goal, and I think the goal of this board, to have as many students as possible in classrooms receiving live instruction so that we can catch them up on their skills and we can help them to move forward,” she said.

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       The lone vote against the measure came from board member Gail H. Bates, who said that while she wants students back in school, she also believes the decision should be left to local jurisdictions.

       “The concern I have is that the local jurisdictions already have the ability to do this,” she said. “If the numbers in a given jurisdiction are such that it would be better for the students to be there with masks on, the locals can do that without this.”

       She added: “I just prefer to keep the flexibility within the jurisdiction to do what’s best for their students.”