Just two school districts accounted for the vast majority of COVID-19 testing in the first month of Colorado’s federally funded program to test students, teachers and staff in schools each week. According to data that the state submitted to federal officials last month, just one district performed nearly 80% of the program’s tests conducted in […]
COVID-19 testing
Posted inCOVID, Education, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado is still struggling to attract kids to its school COVID testing program
A federally funded statewide program to test students, faculty and staff across Colorado for COVID-19 is still struggling to expand, with less than 1% of public school students being tested weekly. Meanwhile, COVID-19 continues to spread in schools. As of last week, there were 199 active coronavirus outbreaks in K-12 schools linked to 3,453 cases, […]
Posted inCOVID, Education, Health, News, Politics and Government
Not enough kids are using Colorado’s school COVID testing program for it to work, governor says
A coronavirus testing program for schools that Gov. Jared Polis has touted as a way to keep students safe and in class isn’t working as designed because not enough kids are getting swabbed, Polis told The Colorado Sun on Monday. Fewer than 5,000 students — less than 1% of Colorado’s K-12 student population — are […]
Posted inEducation, News
Colorado offers gift cards to students who sign up for COVID testing
Colorado will give gift cards to students who participate in regular COVID testing at school. Gov. Jared Polis announced Thursday that students who get tested through the state’s free school COVID testing program will be eligible for a $25 gift card for the first test and $10 for each subsequent test. In addition, participating schools will get […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Education, News, Politics and Government
Colorado plans to dramatically expand COVID-19 testing in schools next year, even as restrictions go away
Colorado plans to launch a massive, new coronavirus testing program available to schools statewide starting this fall, a measure health officials and educators say is crucial to minimize disruption to the education of kids too young to be vaccinated, particularly as a new Delta variant spreads across the state. Officials at the Colorado Department of […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Education, News
Drool for school: Colorado schools add saliva testing to slow spread of coronavirus in the classroom
Elementary school students in Cherry Creek School District are getting a bonus lesson this year: While studying reading, math and science, they’re also learning the best way to drool into a test tube. It’s not a typical part of the curriculum, but collecting students’ saliva has become another critical step in keeping schools open safely […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Education, Health, News
A Colorado school is taking coronavirus testing beyond its students and teachers
A COVID-19 testing network that is already testing about 40,000 teachers across Colorado school districts and higher education institutions has expanded to test some of Denver’s youngest learners and their families, who are among the most vulnerable. COVIDCheck Colorado, a network developed by Gary Community Investment Company and The Piton Foundation, is partnering with Clayton […]