Oklahoma

Note: Recipient-submitted material; content authored by recipient, not ELC
Information current as of October 6, 2021

Management structure for school screening

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) will be responsible for managing the following activities in the grant:

1. Testing kits and personal protective equipment (PPE): The OSDH will distribute rapid test kits to the participating schools on the 10th of each month based on population, number of tests requested, and the population tested the prior month. The OSDH will evaluate the amount requested against the population tested the prior month to keep up with supply and demand.
2. Test results: Test results will be submitted at the school location through technology that integrates with an electronic laboratory reporting system. The technology will be supported by the OSDH. The reports will be collected daily and will be monitored by the OSDH Acute Disease Service’s surveillance team. The reports will be reported to CDC.
3. Grant compliance: The OSDH will be responsible for keeping all agencies and schools in compliance with the grant milestones, financial, and performance measure reporting.

Support provided to school districts

The school districts are provided guidance and examples of plans for implementation. They will have access to both the OSDH and Oklahoma State Department of Education for guidance on how to implement the plans for each district. The districts will be given ongoing guidance based on COVID-19 numbers, outbreaks, and changes in mitigation recommendations by CDC and the Oklahoma state government.

Schools will be provided rapid use test kits (the number of which will be determined by calculating 10% of their district enrollment) with the agreement to pursue a 10% testing target. The schools will then test and provide daily reporting to the OSDH. The schools will use guidance provided by the state and CDC on addressing students who test positive.

For prevention of transmission and mitigation, the school districts will be able to purchase appropriate supplies through the reimbursement process. The type of decontamination, PPE, biohazard supplies, and supplies for COVID-19 mitigation measures will be left up to the schools to determine, as school district facilities are unique. Current mitigation strategies are also unique, as some schools are hybrid with virtual and in-person learning.