COVID-19 Testing

Rapid Take-Home COVID Testing

All CPS schools have rapid take-home COVID-19 tests available to any student or staff member who requests one. To request a rapid test, please contact your school’s administration.

Furthermore, schools may proactively distribute rapid at-home COVID tests to families and staff in the following situations:

If an individual was deemed a close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, the individual should receive two tests to be administered on the immediate Monday and Thursday following exposure
If there is an outbreak in a classroom
If an individual is symptomatic at school

NOTE: The District has discontinued the in-school COVID-19 testing program. Out of an abundance of caution to protect our school communities, CPS was one of the few remaining districts in the United States to use a program that regularly tested asymptomatic individuals at school. CPS has completed its transition to a rapid at-home test program where rapid tests are available for free to any student or staff member at any CPS District-managed school.

Report a Positive Test

If at any time you test positive for COVID-19, please report the positive test to cps.edu/covidresults and isolate for a minimum of five days. If you still feel symptoms after five days, please continue to isolate until 24 hours after symptoms resolve without using fever-reducing medication. Individuals must wear a mask for five days upon returning to school after their five-day isolation.

Report a Positive Case

Community Testing Resources

Over-the-counter rapid COVID-19 tests are widely available, and there are many community testing resources available to families and staff.

For more information on where to find family testing sites (adults and children), view the city of Chicago's COVID-19 website or search for a health center.

Private, Employer, or CPS-provided Insurance

Contact your primary healthcare provider; some insurance plans require the provider to order and schedule a COVID-19 test.

Contact your insurance plan provider to find out what types of tests are covered and at what locations. In certain plans, transportation costs relating to treatment can be covered by the provider.

Medicaid

Contact your primary healthcare provider, some insurance plans require COVID-19 tests to be ordered and scheduled by them.

Contact your managed care provider to find out what types of tests are covered and at what locations. In certain plans, transportation costs relating to treatment can be covered by the provider. Contact information for common providers can be found below.

Blue Cross Community Health Plans: (1-877-860-2837)
CountyCare Health Plan: (1-312-864-8200)
Aetna Better Health: (1-866-329-4701)
Meridian Health: (1-866-606-3700)
Molina HealthCare: (1-855-687-7861)

If you are a CPS family and have questions about your insurance plan, please contact the Office of Student Health & Wellness at 773-553-KIDS (5437).

I Do Not Have Insurance

If you do not have insurance and need help accessing public health benefits, please contact the Office of Student Health & Wellness at 773-553-KIDS (5437) or fill out an assistance request at cps.edu/health.

Questions About COVID-19 Testing



: Please stay home and isolate from others for at least five days after the positive test. If fever-free after day five, students and staff can return to school wearing a mask for days 6-10 after their positive test. If fever remains after day five, please continue to isolate until symptoms resolve, then return to school wearing a mask until day 10 after the positive test.
: You will be notified if you or your child is deemed as a potential “close contact” of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Those who are deemed to be close contacts will be able to stay in school but will be encouraged to wear a mask for 10 days following exposure. CPS will provide any CPS staff or student who has been identified as a close contact with two rapid at-home COVID-19 tests; CPS strongly recommends testing on the immediate Monday and Thursday following exposure. If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, please report it to cps.edu/covidresults.

: If you or your student have tested positive, testing again for the illness is unnecessary. A negative test is not required to return to school after isolation.

If you have exposure or develop new symptoms within 90 days of testing positive, you should use rapid tests to see if you have contracted COVID. However, PCR testing is generally not recommended for 90 days after testing positive unless symptoms develop. This is because COVID-19 antibodies can remain in the body for up to 90 days after contracting COVID and may produce a false positive test.