Leander ISD will downgrade its COVID-19 mitigation stage from red to yellow Oct. 13. Superintendent Bruce Gearing announced the change at the Oct. 7 board meeting.

The district's seven-day average of positive cases was 7.71 daily cases Oct. 7, according to LISD's COVID-19 dashboard. The seven-day average peaked Aug. 27-29 with 51 daily cases.

There are several COVID-19 protocol changes in the yellow stage, including:

• Masks are recommended, not required, for individuals while indoors.
• Water fountains will return to normal use.
• There is no limit on the number of spectators at athletic, fine arts and other activities.

Changes are effective Oct. 13 as LISD schools will be closed Oct. 11-12 for staff development.

The mitigation stage moved to red Aug. 17, which is also the day that Gearing announced the temporary districtwide mask mandate. LISD board members approved a resolution Aug. 23, which was later extended, in support of Gearing's mask requirement and other coronavirus-related health and safety measures.

Gearing said Oct. 7 that no other classes or grade levels are in remote conferencing at the time. The final group returned to campus Oct. 5.