COVID-19 Surveillance Testing Information
Surveillance testing is a very important part of keeping our schools safe by caring for ourselves and others and helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. Participating in surveillance testing for COVID-19 helps us to support students and school staff to know when to isolate if they test positive for COVID-19. Getting tested for COVID-19 when your child is identified as a close contact may allow them to return to school sooner if they test negative.
SFUSD has partnered with Color, a COVID-19 testing company, to provide student and staff surveillance testing and testing for students identified as a close contact with no symptoms.
Students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms can go to a different site for testing.
Surveillance testing is not mandatory, and all students will be able to come to school if a family chooses not to have them participate in COVID-19 testing.
Check out our frequently asked questions about monitoring and testing for COVID-19.
COVID-19 Surveillance Testing Step-by-Step Guide
Students can participate in surveillance testing at any location with a Color mobile testing unit.
If you or your student has COVID-19 symptoms, stay at home and do not go to school until you receive a negative test result. Symptoms include: fever greater than 100.4° F, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, headache, new loss of smell or taste, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, fatigue, runny nose, congestion. Find COVID-19 testing options for symptomatic students.
1. Register for testing
You only need to register for testing once.
Students must use their SFUSD email address when registering so SFUSD can track results across schools. Results will be sent to the mobile phone number entered when registering.
There are 2 ways to register:
- Register online. Find your school's registration link in the table below to register yourself or your student on Color's website. If you need help registering, you can also go to your school site for support.
- Register at the testing site. Students age 13 and over can register and consent for testing themselves. Students under age 13 registering at a testing site must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Look up testing site dates and locations.
* SFUSD students at non-public schools can go to home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=sfusd-nps-students to register.
2. Find a testing site
View the mobile testing site schedule and select a location and time. Students can go to any of the sites listed.
- Students age 13 and over do not need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Students under age 13 who registered online or previously registered in person do not need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Students under age 13 who have not registered must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
3. Get your results
Results will be sent to the mobile phone number entered when registering.
If the test is positive, report the result to your school as soon as possible.
If you or your student has COVID-19 symptoms, stay at home and do not go to school until you receive a negative test result.