General 6 — COVID 19 Educational Testing

Getting Started

Choose your tests

Choose from Routine Covid Safety Checks, Test & Stay, and Symptomatic Testing (or pick all 3!)
Make a testing plan

Work 1-1 with the CIC Health team to design a testing plan for your school
Communicate plan & prep for launch

Share the news with students, families and staff. Prepare your ops team for launch

Apply Now: All K-12 MA Schools are eligible

Choose your tests

DESE’s program includes three testing modalities. Pick any combination for your school’s testing program

**1) Routine COVID Safety Checks**

Option 1: In-lab pooling
Follow up test required for positive pools? No
Types of tests available: *Nasal swabs and saliva*
*Resource Guide: How In Lab Pooling Works in Schools*
Option 2: On-site pooling
Follow up test required for positive pools? *Yes*
Types of tests available: *Nasal swabs*
Follow up tests use BinaxNOW rapid tests for positive pools
*Resource Guide: How On-Site Pooling Works in Schools*

2) “Test & Stay” for Close Contacts

Shallow nasal swab samples are collected at school using the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test or another approved diagnostic test. Tests are administered daily from the first day of exposure for at least five (5) days.

3) Symptomatic testing

This is for when individuals present symptoms while at school (nobody should go to school if experiencing symptoms while at home). Shallow nasal swab samples are collected at school using the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test or another approved diagnostic test.