After Thanksgiving break, D.C. schools require negative covid tests
Students and staff in D.C. public schools must test negative for the coronavirus before returning to school after Thanksgiving break, district officials said.
The school system’s “test-to-return” policy is one that has been used throughout the pandemic. Students were also required to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before the first day of school in August and after a two-week winter break last school year.
The public schools started distributing coronavirus test kits on Thursday, according to officials. Families can also pick up test kits at any of the city’s Covid Centers, which are located in all eight wards.
Students will be expected to take their tests at home on Sunday and upload their results online. Schools will also accept photos or copies of students’ results if they don’t have internet access at home.
The district’s approach sets it apart from other school systems in the region, which have dropped test-to-return policies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped recommending routine screening in schools but said campuses could consider testing for large events, “high-risk activities” — such as contact sports or theater — and returns after holiday breaks.
In Montgomery County, schools are providing coronavirus test kits to staff and students, but proof of a negative test is not required to return to school after the break. Last year, schools throughout the region saw an uptick in coronavirus cases on their campuses after Thanksgiving, forcing some to move to virtual classes, suspend in-person activities or start an early holiday break.
D.C. schools required students and staff to provide negative coronavirus test results when they returned from winter break in early January. Some schools used color-coded wristbands to identify students who showed proof of a negative test, and others staggered arrival times for students who needed to be tested on-site.
There were some hiccups in the process. An online portal malfunctioned as staff tried to upload results a few days before school began, and some families experienced technical glitches trying to share their students’ statuses. When the testing data was finally uploaded, some of the numbers did not line up with the latest enrollment figures — showing more test submissions than students or staffers.
Still, district officials said, the initiative was the safest way to reopen schools and maintain in-person learning.
