There have been many questions received surrounding COVID-19 testing in our schools. As you know, the Governor recently designated our region as a yellow zone. This designation requires mandatory weekly testing of 20% of our school population (i.e. students and staff). Under the yellow zone requirements, districts that do not meet the 20% weekly testing rule will be required to transition to 100% remote learning. In order to move out of this zone and stay open, it is imperative and required that schools participate in the testing.  

Our region’s current positivity rate is approximately 4.2% (out of every 100 tests given, 4.2 are coming back positive).  The majority of the people being tested have been categorized as symptomatic or contact traced. In order to help lower the positivity rate, we have to increase the number of tests given across the region and return lower positive results.  

To further clarify, if the number of tests given (denominator) increases and the number of positive tests returned (numerator) grows at a lower rate, this will help lower the positivity rate in the region.  For example, if we test 1,000 people and 5 return as positive, the positivity rate for that group is 0.5% or 0.5/100.  As schools participate in the testing (i.e. students and staff), the positivity rate in the region will likely decrease and help us return to a green zone.

We are committed to staying open as long as it continues to remain safe and feasible! This is why testing is so important.