Letter from the U.S. Department of Education on preventing the spread of COVID-19 virus and accessing the Testing Supply Program

12/4/2023

The U.S. Department of Education recently sent a letter thanking local education agencies (LEAs) for their continued dedication to keeping students and staff safe and schools open for in-person learning. While the COVID-19 virus can be found year-round in the United States, infection rates typically are higher during the fall and winter months.  
 
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is pleased to offer free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to interested LEAs. 
 
LEAs may request over-the-counter rapid antigen COVID-19 self-tests free of charge for their students, families, staff and school community. Schools may request tests to stock nurses’ offices or the main offices, send test kits home with students or families, or even distribute them by other means to reach those who may need them. These self-tests are easy to use and can play an important role in containing the spread of the virus in schools and communities.  
 
Before registering, LEAs should designate an official point of contact who will be responsible for ordering the COVID-19 self-test kits and managing their delivery and dissemination for the district. No other entities or individuals should access the registration link. To participate in the COVID-19 Testing Supply Program, LEAs must complete a one-time registration at this link: https://protect-ows.hhs.gov/ASPR_COVID_DX.  
 
When registering online, the designated point of contact is required to provide basic information, including LEA identification, LEA name and LEA physical address. All submissions must be verified. Therefore, please make sure that information matches the information in the system at Search for Public School Districts (ed.gov).  
 
Once registered, the point of contact is required to participate in a brief training that provides instructions on how to access COVID-19 self-tests at no cost within the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s Health Partner Ordering Portal (HPOP). This training webinar will be held Dec. 6, 2023, at 1 p.m. EST. Once the one-time registration process is successfully completed, LEAs will receive instructions on how to participate in the training.  
 
LEAs that are unable to attend the training scheduled for Dec. 6 will have access to a recording of the training and ancillary materials. LEAs will be able to order COVID-19 tests after participating in the training. Ordering will continue while supplies last.  
 
Orders will be shipped directly to a designated delivery address within the school district and should arrive within approximately 14 days. For information about the COVID-19 Testing Supply Program, visit https://www.ed.gov/Coronavirus. 
 
The latest information on COVID-19 prevention in schools, including recommendations from the CDC on testing, can be found at Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning and guidance for mitigation of COVID-19 in the community at large.