Table 5.

Caregiver and School Personnel Recommendations for School‐Based SARS‐CoV‐2 Testing

Schools should establish clear SARS‐CoV‐2 protocols (eg, masking, distancing, communication of test results, quarantine policies) based on CDC guidelines and follow them consistently

The framing and presentation of the SARS‐CoV‐2 testing program to the school community (eg, students, caregivers, school personnel), as well as the method of selecting students for testing, will be critically important, both for acceptance of the testing program and to reduce the possibility of it resulting in stigma or discrimination toward students

Providing clear communication about the specifics of the testing program, contact information for support and questions, and regular updates about case numbers will build caregiver trust toward schools

Informational materials about school‐based SARS‐CoV‐2 testing should be provided in English and other languages, particularly Spanish, and translators should be available to ensure understanding, particularly for caregivers who cannot read

Caregiver and school personnel involvement in planning school‐based SARS‐CoV‐2 testing, as well as their support, is essential, allowing for testing procedures to incorporate solutions that address caregiver concerns and minimize teacher burden and classroom disruption

Testing should be conducted before or after school, or at designated times per grade, and teachers and students should be alerted in advance to minimize classroom disruptions

Student privacy can be maintained by treating testing like other activities for which students are pulled out of class, only testing students with others from their grade, and utilizing a private space

Health care professionals, rather than school personnel, should conduct the testing and make contact with affected families, and caregivers should be informed before students, preferably through a phone call so that questions can be answered immediately

To protect student privacy, only essential details, such as grade level, should be communicated to the school community when a student tests positive; the school community should also be informed that only close contacts of students who test positive will be contacted during contact tracing

Schools should develop plans for keeping students who are diagnosed with SARS‐CoV‐2 engaged with the school community and for providing families with essential services during the quarantine period, such as means to continue learning (eg, provide laptop and other school materials and incorporate virtual learning), support for students' overall well‐being (eg, provide counseling with a social worker, meals, care package), and informational resources (eg, guidance for managing COVID‐19 and contacting the health department)

COVID‐19, Coronavirus Disease 2019; SARS‐CoV‐2, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.