FRANKFORT, Ky. —The Kentucky Department for Public Health is offering a COVID-19 testing program for public and private K-12 schools this upcoming school year.
What You Need To Know
- The COVID-19 testing program will be available to all K-12 public and private schools
- It is through a partnership between the Kentucky Department for Public Health and the CDC
- Students and staff could get COVID-19 tests at their school building
- Testing will be voluntary, not mandatory at participating schools
This new program is possible through a partnership between the Kentucky Department for Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It will be paid for entirely by the federal government, coming with no costs to participating school districts.
“We have been given $134 million from the federal government to create a testing program for K-12 schools, public and private, throughout the entire Commonwealth. There are 13 service providers who have signed up, who have gone through the proposals and been approved,” said Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack.
The participating lab service providers will supply the services and materials necessary to provide testing at any of the schools that take part.
Stack urges all school districts to sign up since it could help with contact tracing, serving as another effort to curb the spread of coronavirus as students return to the classroom.
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said JCPS will participate. He said students and staff will have the option to get tested at their school building. This will be voluntary, not mandatory testing.
Superintendents and interested school administrators can learn more here.