The Kansas Department of Health and Environment was awarded a federal cooperative agreement  to implement the Kansas K-12 Stay Positive Test Negative Initiative (PDF), which provides school districts with the funding and resources to design and implement a Covid-19 testing strategy to reduce outbreaks, keep schools and school-affiliated summer camps open, minimize absenteeism, and reduce stress. 

Regular testing, in addition to COVID-19 vaccination, physical distancing, and proper mask wearing when community transmission levels are high, is a safe, effective way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep schools open for in-person learning.

Public Health continues to recommend quarantine and isolation measures as well. While Public Health has transitioned away from investigating every case and contacting everyone potentially exposed, this remains an effective strategy for preventing COVID-19. Schools should continue to implement layered prevention strategies like diagnostic testing, Test-to-Stay strategies, and universal indoor masking when COVID-19 Cases in Kansas  or CDC COVID-19 Community Levels are high.