Naperville School District 203 launched its COVID-19 test-to-stay program for kindergarten and elementary school students this week, with its expansion to higher grades dependent on the success of the first phase, officials said.
The program allows students exposed to someone with the virus to be tested on the first, third, fifth and seventh day after exposure to ensure they are not infected and therefore not required to quarantine at home. As long as the student does not test positive, they can remain in school.
The goal is to prevent students from missing days of school if they don’t have coronavirus.
Lower grade levels were chosen to go first because those students are not yet eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, officials said.
Neighboring Indian Prairie School District 204 has been piloting the same program at some of its elementary schools.
D203 testing is being conducted at the district’s Naperville administrative offices from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, Superintendent Dan Bridges told the D203 School Board Monday night. Students whose next test date falls on a weekend or a day off day will be tested on the next successive weekday.
Bridges said they may also consider other “options if this does not bring the numbers down,” Bridges said.
During the week of Oct. 24, the district had 544 students quarantined at home due to COVID-19 exposure or a positive test, according to the district’s COVID dashboard.