The SAUSD will provide weekly COVID testing for all students and staff

As part of an effort to maintain a safe learning and working environment for everyone, SAUSD will begin to roll out testing on a weekly basis in September.

August 27, 2021 – The Santa Ana Unified School District will provide free weekly COVID-19 testing for all students and staff at every school site and district offices as part of an effort to maintain a safe learning and working environment for everyone.

Testing will be conducted directly at each site to minimize any disruption during the instruction day and regular work schedules. Testing will be offered through three age-appropriate options: nasal swab, oral swab, or saliva kit. This weekly testing will be required for all students attending in-person instruction and staff working at any district site. The District plans to launch the testing process in early September, with a start date to be determined.

“Weekly testing of all of our students and staff, in addition to mask wearing and the other ongoing health and safety protocols, will allow our schools to remain among the safest places for children in the community,” said SAUSD Superintendent of Schools Jerry Almendarez.

All testing services will be provided at no cost to the District by trained professionals from Diagnostic Laboratory Science (DLS), an industry leader in COVID-19 testing, with clients that include Angels Baseball, Knott’s Berry Farm, the City of Anaheim, and Honda Center.

Parents and guardians will have to provide consent in order for their children to participate in testing. Parents and guardians can also offer weekly COVID-19 negative test results from their child’s health care provider as an alternative to weekly testing at their school.

Testing will be rolled out in weekly phases starting in September. In week one, the District plans to launch testing for all staff at District offices. Week two will include students and staff at the high school level. Week three will include intermediate students and staff. Week four will include elementary school students and staff. After week four, all students and staff would be tested weekly.

Dedicated testing teams at schools and office sites will conduct testing Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, targeting different groups of students and staff each day. The District will create a confidential online portal for all testing results and notifications. Parents, students and staff will have ongoing access in several languages to physicians and other health care providers to help answer questions regarding their results.#