Q: Why should you enroll your child in this program?
A: This testing program provides an extra layer of COVID-19 prevention by allowing schools to detect infections early and get ahead of asymptomatic outbreaks. Testing helps decrease the spread of COVID-19. Achieving this goal will help keep students healthy, allow them to continue in-person learning, and help schools stay open.
Q: Are weekly tests required for students and staff?
A: Weekly tests are not required, but encouraged by the State of Colorado. CDPHE’s COVID-19 school screening testing program is designed to help schools take preventative measures against COVID-19 outbreaks. Weekly testing is most effective in early detection of COVID-19. Should you need additional testing outside of the program, PCR testing is available on-demand at free locations across Colorado. For more information, please visit https://covid19.colorado.gov/testing.
Q: Why is CDPHE choosing to use an antigen test versus a PCR test?
A: Rapid antigen tests can provide results within approximately 15 minutes and are cost-effective. This screening testing method increases the likelihood of detecting an infection early and is less invasive than some other screening testing methods.
Q: If a school is participating in the testing program, will it still need to quarantine in the instance of a classroom exposure?
A: For information on quarantine requirements, please visit the CDPHE school guidance page at https://covid19.colorado.gov/practical-guide-for-operationalizing-cdc-school-guidance.
Q: Is parental or guardian consent required to test in the program?
A: Yes. This program is voluntary and students under the age of 18 are required to have parental or guardian consent on file in order to participate.
Q: What if I do not want my child to participate or change my mind?
A: This program is voluntary and students under the age of 18 are required to have parental consent on file in order to participate.
Q: Do you have to have symptoms to be tested?
A: No. The testing program is available to all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status or presence of symptoms.
Q: Can you still be tested even if you are vaccinated?
A: Yes. The screening testing program is available to all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status or presence of symptoms.
Q: How do I enroll my child?
A: The designated testing vendor will provide a portal where you will enroll your child in the program. The portal is school-specific, so please reach out to your school for a link to sign up. If needed, hard copy enrollment forms will be available.
Q: Is there any cost to me for my child to participate in the program?
A: No. This program is free through funding provided by the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Reopening Schools award funds.
Q: Will my child’s teacher also be tested?
A: The screening testing program is available to all students, teachers, and staff, regardless of vaccination status or presence of symptoms. Teachers and staff are strongly encouraged to participate.
Q: What test will my child receive?
A: This program utilizes rapid antigen tests. Tests are selected and approved by the CDPHE. Weekly testing increases the likelihood of detecting an infection early and is less invasive than some other testing methods.
Q: Will my child miss class time for testing?
A: The school will coordinate with the testing vendor to decide what day of the week and time tests will be administered. With rapid antigen tests, results are available within approximately 15 minutes.
Q: Who will administer the tests?
A: In the Full Service model, the vendor will administer the tests on-site. In the Direct Ship model, the vendor will help set-up training for school personnel, such as school nurses, to be able to administer the test.
Q: How will I be notified if my child tests positive?
A: The vendor and/or school personnel will notify parents via email or a phone call within the same business day of testing if a child tests positive for COVID-19.
Q: Is there any danger or potential side effects to regular screening testing?
A: Regular screening testing is safe and effective. It does not include any known side effects.
Q: Why can't our kids have a saliva test instead of a nasal swab?
A: The antigen test used for this program requires a nasal swab test per the emergency use authorization.
Q: How will students be eligible to receive an incentive?
A: All students under the age of 18 in participating schools who have parental consent on file for this free COVID-19 school screening testing program are eligible to receive an incentive, regardless of their current vaccination status. Students who are 18-years-old or older do not need parental consent on file, but will still need to register to be tested. Each incentive is linked to tests administered (i.e., a student must be tested to receive the incentive). Students are eligible to receive a maximum of one incentive per week. The student incentives portion of this free COVID-19 school screening testing program is optional.
Q: How much will a student receive in incentives?
A: A participating student will receive $25 for the first COVID-19 test that is administered to them through this program. A student can then receive $10 for every subsequent test that is administered each week (at a maximum of one incentive allowed per week).
Q: When will students receive their incentive?
A: Students will receive their incentive(s) monthly and retroactively via a gift card. For example, if your student is tested in September, they will receive their gift card loaded with their total incentives for September in early October.
Q: Can my student participate in the testing program, but opt-out of receiving the incentives?
A: The student incentives portion of this free COVID-19 school screening testing program is optional (parents can opt out HERE). All students under the age of 18 in participating schools that have parental consent on file for this program will receive an incentive unless their school has chosen not to receive financial support and offer student incentives. Students that are 18-years-old or older do not need parental consent on file, but are still able to choose to opt out of receiving the incentive.
Q: How will my student receive their gift card?
A: If you elected for your child to receive incentives, the student will receive their gift card via mail (U.S. Postal Service). This gift card will be distributed each month based on the student’s number of COVID-19 tests administered during the previous month through this program.
Q: How will a student’s mailing address be obtained for the gift card?
A: This information will be obtained through a parental or guardian consent form. This parental or guardian consent form will include a request for a mailing address for the student incentive gift card. Students who are 18-years-old or older will provide their mailing address when they register to be tested.
For additional program information, please visit https://covid19.colorado.gov/free-testing-schools.
This program is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $173,450,305 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC, HHS, or the U.S. Government.