Los Angeles County Office Education (LACOE) and health officials announced this week they have received $300 million in federal funding to support COVID-19 testing efforts for teachers, students and staff to ensure safety on school campuses.
“Ensuring safe in-person instruction is vital to addressing learning loss and promoting social-emotional wellbeing. This testing program is a tool to help make that happen,” county Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo said in a statement. “It’s also another example of how LACOE, Public Health and our county’s 80 districts have worked together since the start of the pandemic to support our students and families.”
The funds from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be used to provide COVID-19 testing at public and private schools. The money is part of a $12 billion CDC effort to expand testing.
According to county officials, more than 70 percent of school districts have existing or planned COVID-19 testing programs. The federal funds will help cover costs of testing programs, along with staffing needs. It will also allow some districts to increase the frequency of COVID-19 testing.
