COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits for students are available for pick up at school buildings throughout the district. Please contact your child's principal for more information, and read below for instructions on using the kits.
Please also read on for more information about COVID-19 testing in the City School District of Albany.
Test kit instructions
Please follow these instructions for administering the test at home; these instructions also will be provided with each test kit:
- Please use one test the morning of the next school day after you pick up the kit.
- Read the directions included in the test kit completely prior to using the test.
- The test will take a little more than 10 minutes to complete. Please plan accordingly.
- Please note that test results should be read at 10 minutes, and not later than 15 minutes.
- If your child tests positive (+), please do the following:
- Keep your child home from school;
- Take a photo of the positive test and the test kit;
- Report the positive case to the Albany County Department of Health, using this link;
- Notify your child’s school nurse, via email if possible. You can find the email for your school nurse on each school’s web page.
In-person testing at six district buildings *
(* This item was updated Feb. 2.)
The district is offering in-person COVID-19 testing each weekday at two district buildings. There is little to no wait, with results in 24-48 hours.
Pre-registration is required. Please use this link to pre-register if you have not already done so. Appointments are not needed. If you are not pre-registered, we will not be able to test you and you will be asked to return when you’re registered. If you need assistance registering, please contact your child’s school.
Please remember that for a COVID-19 saliva swab test you must:
- Wait at least one hour after brushing your teeth or using mouthwash before testing.
- Not eat or drink anything 30 minutes before testing. This includes gum, mints, cough lozenges, etc.
Our testing locations are:
- Albany High School, 700 Washington Ave. – 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
- Harriet Gibbons Student Services Center, 75 Watervliet Ave. – 7:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
COVID-19 rapid testing
The City School District of Albany has received more than 17,000 COVID-19 rapid antigen tests from the state and is making test kits available at all buildings.
If any student or employee becomes symptomatic during the school day, they can get tested at the school’s health office. Parental consent for students (verbal or written) is required.
Please note, if the student or employee is not exhibiting symptoms such as fever, vomiting or diarrhea, and they are capable of wearing their tight-fitting mask, they may return to the classroom once they have had a negative test result at the building.
At the nurse’s discretion, a take-home test kit will be provided to the student or employee to retest the following morning. If that result also is negative, the student or employee may return.
Other testing options
If a student or employee begins to experience symptoms after school or in the evenings, free COVID-19 rapid antigen testing is available at state testing sites at the University of Albany and Crossgates Mall.
Health and safety guidance from both the state and the county health department continues to evolve. As always, we will keep you updated as new guidance or information related to COVID-19 becomes available.
The district continues to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone 5 and older who is able and eligible.
