HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Just a day before an emergency COVID policy meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Hillsborough County Public Schools officials revealed that 8,400 students — out of 213,491 — are now in quarantine or isolation.

On Monday, the district reported 5,599 students were impacted.

Of the 23,596 employees of Hillsborough schools, 307 are currently quarantined or isolated, according to the district.

Isolation refers to individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, while quarantine refers to those who have had close contact with a positive case. 

School leaders plan to meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss the district’s COVID safety policies.

Masks are required in the county’s public schools, but parents can opt their children out.

In the meantime, Florida’s Board of Education will meet on Wednesday to consider funding cuts for two school districts — Alachua and Broward — that defied Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order banning mask mandates that don’t leave the choice up to parents.