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NEW Screening Testing in Missouri’s K-12 Schools (Added 7/1/2021)

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is offering COVID-19 screening testing for Missouri school staff and students during the 2021-2022 school year. This will be executed through a partnership with Concentric by Gingko Bioworks, who is used by more than 1,000 schools across 18 states. COVID-19 testing offers an additional layer of prevention, helping schools to provide in-person learning for their students with confidence. For more information about the program and how to apply, review the Missouri COVID-19 Screening Testing for K-12 Schools Program Guide.

What is Screening Testing?

Screening testing means regularly (e.g., weekly) testing people without symptoms with the goal of identifying and isolating COVID-19 positive individuals. This type of testing can help schools identify potential outbreaks early and give them the confidence needed to safely, and with precautions, open or maintain in-person learning for their students. The K-12 Screening Testing Program uses a pooled testing approach. Pooled PCR testing is an efficient way to test large groups of students and staff in schools on a weekly basis. Instead of testing each individual sample on its own, the lab tests the pool.

The screening testing program will provide resources and staffing for the entire testing process including registering individuals for testing, providing testing materials, collecting and testing samples, and reporting results. Schools will also have access to full staffing support for testing (e.g. testing manager, testing staff), and communication resources.

Please direct questions about the screening testing program to k12screeningtesting@health.mo.gov.

The Application Process

All Missouri school districts and private or charter schools that are interested in joining the pooled testing program must complete an application to indicate their interest and provide details about their school/district. DHSS is accepting applications on a rolling basis. We encourage districts and schools to apply as soon as possible to take full advantage of the program.

To participate in the Missouri K-12 Screening Testing Program, schools/districts will need to complete the following:

Additional COVID-19 Information and Resources

Supplemental Funding for K-12 Schools Participating in COVID-19 Testing Program

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DSHSS) is pleased to announce a new resource available to all K-12 schools or school districts (public, charter, or private) participating in either the K-12 COVID-19 Screening Testing Program or the K-12 BinaxNOW Antigen Testing Program. Any school or school district participating in these programs may request additional funding in order to support their COVID-19 prevention and detection activities. These costs may include staff time, personal protective equipment, costs associated with outreach materials, etc. This is just a short overview of allowable expenses, not an exhaustive list. See the additional documents below if your school or school district may be interested in this program. You can also reach out to the K-12 Screening Testing team at k12screeningtesting@health.mo.gov for questions about the supplemental support available to schools.

Higher Education