To: Superintendents, Communicable Disease Preparedness Liaisons, Charter School Leaders, Principals, K-12 Public Information Officers, School Nurses
From: Kati Moseley; Administrator, Health in Education
Date: August 17, 2023
Re: Reminder: School-level Communicable Disease Management Plans due August 25; OHA COVID-19 K-12 Diagnostic Testing Program
Dear School and District Leaders,
As the new school year approaches, we are writing to remind you of the required School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan and to encourage you to order COVID-19 testing supplies as soon as possible.
School Level Communicable Disease Management Plans
Assurances regarding readiness of schools to respond to communicable disease events during the 2023-24 school year are due to ODE before the start of the district's school year or by August 25, 2023, whichever is sooner.
On May 10, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) shared requirements for School-level Communicable Disease Management Plans for the 2023-24 school year. Under Section 2001(i)(1) of the ARP ESSER and the US Department of Education’s Interim Final Requirements for Safe Return/Continuity of Services Plan, Education Service Districts, school districts, and public charter schools must ensure that every public school and program has a completed School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan by submitting a set of assurances. This requirement is also in alignment with the communicable disease planning expectations of the recently updated Health Services Rule (OAR 581-022-2220).
ODE staff will be hosting Office Hours on Monday, August 21 to review the School-level Communicable Disease Management Plan guidance and updated planning tools for the 2023-24 school year. More information on the guidance and planning tools can be found here.
OHA COVID-19 K-12 Diagnostic Testing Program
Please remember that the OHA COVID-19 K-12 Diagnostic Testing Program will continue during the 2023-24 school year. Because of a planned transition to a new warehouse, OHA anticipates delays in fulfilling testing supplies requests soon. Schools enrolled in the diagnostic testing program should submit requests for tests now to avoid these delays. Schools interested in procuring self-tests will now receive BinaxNOW branded self-tests. These self-tests are packaged with 6 test kits per case and 2 tests per kit, (1 case = 6 kits = 12 tests total). When requests are submitted for ‘iHealth’, the quantity will be converted to an equivalent quantity of the BinaxNOW self-tests.
Thank you for your thoughtful work and planning to keep schools healthy, safe, and connected. Please reach out to ODE.HealthySchools@ode.oregon.gov with any questions or for additional support.
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