COVID-19 Testing for Students

Get Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests from the federal government. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.

Order your tests now so you have them when you need them.

Get free tests

Test Options at SFUSD

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 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.

There are multiple ways that SFUSD is providing COVID-19 testing to students, staff, and families.

Test Type	Format	Test Results	Registration	How to Get Tested
PCR Test via Color	On-site; monitored testing	Available in 1-4 days Results will be sent to the email address and phone number used to register	Register for a Color account Contact Color at 844-352-6567 for help	Locations and dates of testing sites Students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms should go to a different site for testing. Students under 13 who have not previously registered for a Color account must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
PCR Test via Color	Take-home; Self-swab kits available for pick up/drop off	Available in 1-4 days Results will be sent to the email address and phone number used to register	Register for a Color account Contact Color at 844-352-6567 for help	Steps and instructions for using the take-home/self-swab kit Pick up instructions: Students and families can pick up self-swab kits at any school site, any mobile testing site, or any central office drop-off location Drop off instructions: Samples are collected daily at each school site, or students and families can drop samples off at: Any school site on the courier pick-up route before 10 a.m. Any of the mobile testing sites Any central office drop-off locations from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rapid Antigen Test via Safer Together	On-site mobile testing	Available in about 30 min. to 1 hour Results will be sent to the email and phone number used to register	Register	Locations and dates of testing sites Students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms should go to a different site for testing. SFUSD is working on extending rapid testing into Feb. and looking into adding additional sites.
Rapid Antigen Test	Take-home test kits done at home	View the test's instructions	n/a	Test kits were distributed to students at their school sites as a one-time distribution from the California Department of Public Health Schedule for at-home test kit distribution Steps and instructions (Español \| 中文 \| عربي \| Gagana Sāmoa \| Tagalog \| Tiếng Việt) for using the at-home kit

If students or staff become symptomatic while on campus, or are identified as close contacts, all school sites have unmonitored self-swab Color kits that can be used and dropped off at any of the following: (1) any school site on the courier pick-up route before 10 a.m., (2) any of the mobile testing sites, or (3) any central office drop-off locations from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms before school should not come onto school campus. Those with symptoms can go to a different site for testing, such as the mobile testing sites or central office drop off locations.

Testing is not mandatory. 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.

Other Testing Options

You can also access testing at locations throughout San Francisco, which includes your primary health care provider and community and public testing sites.

For more information about COVID-19 testing, or to find a testing site near you, visit sf.gov/gettested or call SFDPH’s COVID Resource Center at 628-652-2700.

After Getting Test Results

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, or fatigue. Find COVID-19 testing options for symptomatic students.

If the test is positive, report the result to your school as soon as possible.

Learn more about isolation and quarantine guidelines.