Jordan-Elbridge Central School District
Protocols for “Test to stay” (TTS):

Description: Under current NYSDOH schools guidance, unvaccinated close contacts of people with COVID-19 are excluded from school and quarantined.  TTS is a strategy that allows unvaccinated close contacts to test negative on each school day for seven days after exposure.  Onondaga Health Department as allowed TTS to occur in schools under their jurisdiction.  The following requirements will be in place to remain compliant with NYSDOH.

1. NYSED Health Department Requirement: Consider equity (i.e., families should not have to pay for testing, or if they do, then the inability to pay should not prevent a student from being eligible for TTS)

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  Testing will be free for all students.  Students who cannot get a ride to be tested will have appropriate arrangements from the district.

2. NYSED Health Department Requirement: Include actions to follow-up on transmission (e.g., contact tracing) in the event that an individual tests positive

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  JECSD will continue to work with our local health departments to ensure all contact tracing is done as soon as possible.  Existing protocols for positive test results will be initiated immediately.  The school district will enter positive and negative results into the ECLRS system.

3. NYSED Health Department Requirement: The daily test must be conducted and the results received before the school day begins, and positive individuals be isolated.

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  JECSD will require quarantined students to be driven to school building each morning until their quarantine period has expired.  JECSD will test students using Binax now or Access Health Antigen Test outside the building before they are allowed to begin their day. Once JECSD receives the negative result, we will allow the student to return to school.  If a student tests positive, the parent must return their child home to isolate.

4. NYSED Health Department Requirement: If the test is done in an unmonitored setting (e.g., home), a mechanism to ensure that the test is done correctly and on the correct person must exist.

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  JECSD must monitor and be observed by school personnel in order to be used as an official result to remain in school.

5. NYSED Health Department Requirement: The exposed person who is allowed to remain in school through TTS must still be quarantined outside of school instruction/academic periods (on weekends/holidays when the seven day TTS period is still active, but no school test is required, after school/evenings; no community activities or extracurricular participation including clubs, sports, arts/performance activities, etc.).

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  JECSD will comply with this requirement.  No student will be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities during the quarantine period.

6. NYSED Health Department Requirement: If the exposed person who is allowed to remain in school through TTS develops symptoms, they must be excluded from school per current school guidance.

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  JECSD will comply with this requirement.  If students or staff have symptoms, they will be excluded from school.


7. Onondaga County Health Department Requirement:  Develop Protocol for gaining consent for test to stay.

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  JECSD will send a permission slip via google forms for electronic signature to consent for students being tested and review of TTS requirements and protocols


8. Onondaga County Health Department Requirement:  Designation of where the tests will be conducted.

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Response:  Tests will be conducted at JECSD – 9 North Chappell Street, Jordan, NY 13080, Elbridge Elementary School, Jordan-Elbridge Middle School, and Jordan-Elbridge High School.

9. Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Requirement:

For students to be eligible for TTS, students must have been quarantined from a school exposure.  Students who have positive cases in their home will not be permitted to TTS.