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COVID-19 Support: Public Health Orders

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Welcome to the COVID-19 support page for closure guidance and communication resources. Here you can find guidance and resources organized by the following categories. Simply click on a category link to be taken directly to those resources below on the page. For questions, please email disasterinfo@tea.texas.gov.

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2020 - 2021 School Year
Public Health
Orders

K-12 COVID-19
Testing Project

 COVID-19 Case and Test Reporting Other
Resources

 

FAQ and Guidance

Governor Abbott’s COVID-19 disaster declaration is still in effect. Governor Abbott declared a disaster due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 13, 2020. A gubernatorial disaster declaration expires thirty days after its issuance, unless renewed, and Governor Abbott renewed the declaration on November 6, 2020.

Tools, Templates and Resources

Correspondence and Notices

 

K-12 COVID-19 Testing Project

 

FAQ and Guidance

Tools, Templates and Resources 

 

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Texas Education Agency (TEA) K-12 Testing Resources

Document

Description

Communication Templates October 28 2020

School District Examples

 Communicating with your stakeholders about COVID rapid testing will be essential to successful implementation. Resources include TEA-developed samples as well as examples created by districts that participated in the testing pilot. These documents are meant as a resource and their use is entirely optional.

Student Permission Slip, TEA-Developed

 School systems must obtain formal consent from a student's legal guardian (for those under 18). The TEA-developed sample is provided as a standardized example for all schools/districts. Feel free to edit it to include additional information specific to your school or district.  For example, you may want to add context if this is to be filled out at the time of testing, or in advance of the possibility of tests being conducted in the future. Additional examples are provided from the districts that participated in the pilot testing.

Test Count and Results Reporting

As previously required by TEA’s public health guidance, public schools must report cases via the DSHS COVID-19 Case Reporting Form.  However, when opting into this program, a new reporting requirement is imposed on LEAs in regards on when to submit this form. Specifically, even if you don’t have any positive cases in a given week you have to submit the volume of any tests administered and the results within your LEA. This information will be aggregated at the state and district level and publicly posted on the Department of State Health Services Texas Public Schools COVID-19 Data page. 

 

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Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) K-12 Testing Resources

Document

 Description Where to find

Texas School Testing Quick Guide  

One pager on what test administrators can expect on testing day

https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

Test Coordinator Responsibilities 

Schools should review prior to appointing a test coordinator to better understand duties before, during and after testing

https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

Test Administrator Responsibilities 

Schools should review prior to appointing test coordinator to better understand the training requirements and the duties before, during and after

 https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

 

Best Practices for Schools   

This document provides schools with additional information on planning, space requirements, and managing testing flow 

https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

How-To-Video Loop 

This video can be played on a loop during testing and provides step by step instructions on test administration

https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

Training Links for Test Administrators  

Each test administrator is required to complete the training and take the accompanying exam

https://www.preparingtexas.org/Index.aspx

K-12 COVID Testing Support Guide 

The K-12 COVID-19 Testing Support Guide provides an overview of the program to provide BinaxNow Rapid Test kits and PPE to school systems in Texas.  The guide provides information on how tests will be distributed and resupplied, test administration, reporting of results, and how to handle medical waste

 https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

Standing Delegation Order 

Standing delegation order from Dr. Alexander Lazar for licensed nurses conducting BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Screening in K-12 Texas school systems

 https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

Medical Waste Instructions for Schools

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulatory guidance regarding the handling, storage, labeling, transportation, and proper disposal for schools using COVID-19 rapid testing kits.

 https://tdem.texas.gov/k-12testing/

 

Correspondence and Notices

 
 

COVID-19 Case and Test Reporting

 

FAQ and Guidance

Tools, Templates and Resources

Correspondence and Notices


 

Other Resources

 

Tools, Templates and Resources

2019 - 2020 School Year
Public Health Orders

 

FAQ and Guidance

Governor Abbott’s COVID-19 disaster declaration is still in effect. Governor Abbott declared a disaster due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 13, 2020. A gubernatorial disaster declaration expires thirty days after its issuance, unless renewed, and Governor Abbott renewed the declaration on October 8, 2020.

Tools, Templates and Resources

Correspondence and Notices

 

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