COVID Testing

City Schools provides tests free at school for anyone who develops COVID symptoms during the school day.  

If you do not want your child to get tested at school, you can opt out. In this case, you will be required to get COVID testing for your child in line with City Schools’ policies and submit proof of testing to their school. If you do not do so, your child can be excluded from school activities (like playing on sports teams). Keep in mind that if you opt out, you must arrange to get your child tested any time they have COVID symptoms or were exposed to a confirmed COVID case. These COVID tests may be done by a medical provider or you may use at-home testing with a rapid test kit to meet the "opt-out" requirements. 

No, the tests are free.

Please call your medical provider to ask about an appointment for a COVID test for your child or use an at-home testing kit. (These kits are available at many pharmacies and are given out free at libraries and other community locations at scheduled times). You can also visit the City of Baltimore’s website to find a location for COVID testing. 

Important: Do not send your child to school if they have symptoms.

Individuals who have had a confirmed case of COVID may access rapid testing if symptomatic or recently exposed to COVID. Rapid tests are more accurate at identifying new infections those recently recovered from COVID. 

City Schools only tests students if they have COVID symptoms in school. Additionally, students can get a rapid test if they are a close contact of someone with COVID (and their parent/guardian has agreed to in-school testing on the consent form). If the test is negative, they can stay in school. 

Please be assured that the tests don’t hurt, and students as young as pre-k can do the nose-swabbing themselves. Health Suite staff will help make sure that testing is fast, gentle, and done in a positive environment for all children. 

For diagnostic testing of students with symptoms, Health Suite staff will call parents/guardians to pick up their child promptly after the test if the result is positive.

Rapid antigen tests are used for diagnostic testing, and results are available in about 15 minutes. Families are notified of a positive test result. 

Individuals tested in school because of COVID symptoms (diagnostic testing)

If someone tests positive, the student must isolate at home for at least five days and should contact a medical provider about treating symptoms as needed. 

If someone tests negative, they can return to class immediately. 

Elementary and elementary/middle schools

Students who have positive results from the rapid tests will isolate immediately in the wellness room, and families will be notified to pick up their child. City Schools also notifies the Baltimore City Health Department.

Students who test negative for COVID remain in school for the regular day but will be required to mask. 

Middle, middle/high, and high schools

Those who may have been exposed to a known positive case will be offered a rapid test and will be required to mask for 10 days following exposure. Students who test positive must isolate at home for at least five days and will be required to mask for an additional five days when back in school.

Results are shared with City Schools, individual students’ parents/guardians, test providers, the Maryland Department of Health, the Baltimore City Health Department, and CRISP (Maryland Health Information Exchange), but only for public health purposes (such as taking other steps to prevent the further spread of COVID in the community).

Test providers currently include the Baltimore City Health Department, Maryland Department of Health, and the Maryland State Department of Education (symptomatic testing); Abbott BinaxNOW (rapid antigen tests); iHealth COVID Rapid Test, InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Test, Flowflex COVID Antigen Home Test, and Concentric by Ginkgo (rapid testing). 

Any changes to test providers will be shared with parents and posted on this website. 

Results are used in accordance with all applicable laws, Board of School Commissioners policies, and City Schools regulations protecting student privacy and the security of your child’s data. Information that may be shared includes your child’s name and test results, date of birth or age, demographic data, school or program participation, classroom/cohort/pod, enrollment and attendance, parent/guardian names, address, telephone, mobile number, and email address.

While no medical experimental research will be conducted using test samples, City Schools and its contractors monitor aspects of the virus that causes COVID (e.g., tracking viral mutations by sequencing viruses and microbes in samples collected through the in-school testing program) for epidemiological and public health purposes. City Schools also is collaborating with local universities, including Morgan State University, University of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University, on an initiative to figure out which public health strategies are most effective. For example, the initiative may use data from the testing program to look at the effect of changes to how often we test or the use of rapid tests in addition to PCR tests. 

Staff will work with parents to ensure that students with disabilities are prepared for testing and that tests are done in ways that are sensitive to their needs. If your child has a documented disability and you are concerned that testing would impair your child’s mental or physical health due to that disability, please contact your child’s school to discuss how to proceed. 

From our experience of the past two years, we know that students generally find the tests easy and comfortable.  If your child is nervous or anxious, staff will do their best to provide support and encourage them to complete the test. Please talk with your children about testing and let them know that the school needs to make sure they are healthy. Remind children that the test doesn’t hurt, is quick, safe, and gentle, and keeps them safe.

Yes, all student-athletes must participate in our "test to play" program. The policies around testing and isolation mirror the policies laid out for all students. Student-athletes must follow the testing and isolation guidance outlined on this website in order to remain eligible to play.