LAUSD Testing Positivity Jumps To 13.5%
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — LAUSD officials say they are seeing a jump in positive tests among its students and teachers, but it's still lower than the overall county average.
From testing conducted this week, LAUSD officials say its district test positivity rate has come in at 13.5% -- a much higher rate than its last posted number at 4%, but still much lower than the county's average, which is hovering at about 20%.
John Rubio, who was waiting to get his son Adrian tested at Gage Elementary School, said he only heard about the district's requirement on Thursday.
"We just didn't know about it, you know," he said. "But we heard about it yesterday, and I just want to get him in school."
Adrian didn't seem to mind the extra effort to get back into the classroom.
"I think that's great because I can see my friends again, and I get to study, and I get to see my teacher," he said.
Testing continued Friday at all of the district's sites, but the effort to get all students tested before classes resume on Tuesday expanded to handing out free rapid antigen tests to students at all its grab-and-go sites.
But even if students, say, are still on vacation, and learn about the testing requirement late Monday, they should still come to their schools on Tuesday, said Megan K. Reilly, the district's interim superintendent.
"We don't want any student to not have access to school," she said.
If student do opt to get tested on the first day back from winter break, it should take just 15 minutes to get a result – but parents and students should try to avoid getting tested last minute, Reilly said.
"We'll probably have lines, and so you know, just anticipate that," Reilly said.
