Rutherford County Schools has agreed to participate in a pilot program offered by the Tennessee Department of Health to offer rapid testing for COVID-19. Several other school districts in the state have also signed on for the program. 

RCS will not be administering these tests to students. 

The system expects to receive approximately 300 test kits, and once the program begins, it will be offered to employees in certain circumstances. 

For employees — those who have been deemed contacts of a positive case of COVID-19 and who have remained symptom free for at least six days — they will be able to voluntarily make an appointment for one of the rapid tests, as available.

Using this method, some employees will be able to clear their quarantine periods faster under the new guidelines from the Tennessee Department of Health.