Local districts have received funding from the Minnesota COVID-19 School Testing Program. 

The Minnesota Department of Health says of these grants, “Every school district, charter school, tribal school and nonpublic school is eligible for a grant through the Minnesota Department of Education to support COVID-19 testing. Grant money can be used to fund staff to support, administer or execute testing, or to purchase tests through a vendor.”

This grant program accounts for $55 million of Minnesota’s funding from the Reopening Schools Grant supported through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. 

Funding local school districts 

• Cannon Falls total funding awarded: $62,563.37

• Goodhue total funding awarded: $40,000

• Goodhue County total funding awarded: $40,000

• Hastings total funding awarded: $236,019.59

• Kenyon-Wanamingo total funding awarded: $40,000

• Lake City total funding awarded: $67,118.03

• Pine Island total funding awarded: $73,424.13

• Randolph total funding awarded: $40,000

• Red Wing total funding awarded: $146,432.71

• Zumbrota-Mazeppa total funding awarded: $65,375.88

In Red Wing the grant money has been used to purchase test kits, according to the district’s business manager Jackie Paradis. 

Red Wing Superintendent Karsten Anderson said of the testing program, “Implementing a strong COVID testing program gives kids the chance to get back to school sooner and protects others from possible exposure to COVID. We want our students in-person as much as possible; this program will help accomplish that.”

On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Red Wing Public Schools sent an email to community members that explained beginning Monday, Oct. 25, the district will offer COVID-19 testing to staff and students on Monday, Oct. 25. Testing options will be available for staff and students who develop symptoms while in a district building and for staff and students who want to routinely test for COVID-19.