Helping Students and Teachers Get Back To In-Person Learning
What Could Be
COVID testing is readily available so students and teachers can safely return to the classroom
Should Be
COVIDCheck Colorado provided schools — and later the entire state — with access to free, fast and reliable COVID testing
When Governor Polis issued Colorado’s stay-at-home order in March 2020, nearly 500,000 Colorado children were sent home to learn online. Pre-pandemic research and early pandemic studies from international schools underscored how prolonged absences from classrooms could deepen inequities, harm child nutrition and strain social systems. Additionally, families, particularly those in underserved communities, faced disrupted education, economic instability and widening disparities in health and well-being.
Understanding the invaluable impact of in-person learning, Gary launched a new venture – COVIDCheck Colorado – to provide free, fast and reliable COVID-19 testing to teachers and staff to support students’ safe return to the classroom. Cherry Creek School District, Aurora Public Schools and Rocky Mountain Kids were among the first educational partners to pilot the program, quickly demonstrating how access to testing could prevent outbreaks and restore trust in in-person learning. Free and frequent testing was provided on-site and underwritten by Gary’s philanthropic arm.
COVIDCheck expanded to provide testing to students, families, local businesses and all Coloradans. By the end of 2020 more than 300,000 tests had been administered statewide, preventing an estimated 20,000 outbreaks. Ultimately, COVIDCheck grew to provide more than 150,000 educators across 100+ districts, independent schools and colleges with reliable testing that averaged a 36-hour turnaround time.
True to Gary’s New Ventures model, COVIDCheck started with just a handful of partners and, as it grew, the model improved operations with an eye toward scale. This process is what allowed COVIDCheck to deepen its impact: contracting with the State of Colorado to operate 45 community testing sites across the state; partnering with colleges and schools in Georgia, Louisiana and California; running public outreach campaigns and supporting the administer of vaccines. At its peak, the program grew from just 15 staff to more than 1,500 team members, reflecting the scale of its mobilization. The revenue generated enabled COVIDCheck to continue offering free tests to educational institutions, increase community engagement and invest in Gary’s future work to transform systems and build wealth.
As rapid, in-home COVID tests became widely available, COVIDCheck ceased operations in June 2022, having achieved its goal of helping the state navigate the pandemic and build capacity for an equitable recovery. Its work helped to set a precedent for how public, private and community partners can unite to deliver proactive, large-scale solutions in times of crisis.
“For the most part, our families don’t have the luxury of working from home. They are frontline workers. They are working hourly jobs where missing work means they aren’t getting paid. So we really quickly had to figure out how to reopen the school and do it in a way that is safe for families.”
Becky Crowe Former President and CEO, Clayton Early Learning
Ensuring Access & Equity
From launching in May 2020 until closing in June 2022, COVIDCheck administered more than 1.9 million tests at as many as 240 school-based and community sites across the state — from Julesburg in the northeast and Durango in the southwest to metro areas along the Front Range.
7000
average number of tests per day
15
colleges and universities
37
school districts
45
individual schools
45
community testing sites
Just A Few Of The Partners Who Made It Possible
CommonSpirit Health
Formerly known as Centura Health, CommonSpirit Health operated as a critical partner in the administration of vaccines at large community sites across the state.
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
CDPHE funded COVIDCheck’s community testing sites and served as invaluable collaborators.
Colorado Mesa University
As one of our earliest partners, CMU helped provide all students, faculty and staff with access to fast, accurate and affordable COVID-19 testing, symptom tracking and contact tracing.
Denver Health
As one of Denver’s longest-serving health care systems, Denver Health helped to ensure equitable access to testing, vaccines and public health information.
HealthOne
As a trusted medical provider, HCA HealthOne operated as a critical partner in the administration of vaccines at large community sites across the state.
Health Center at Auraria
Located in the heart of Denver, the Health Center at Auraria played a key role in the administration of testing and vaccines to those on the Aurarua Campus and surrounding community.
Primary.Health
Primary.Health’s technology powered COVIDCheck’s testing logistics.
COVIDCheck Colorado: From Pilot To Scale
The COVIDCheck Team
COVIDCheck was created to help get kids back into the classroom at a time when both human and financial resources were needed most. As a result, the number of individuals who contributed to the COVIDCheck program grew from roughly 15 to more than 1,500 by the time the pandemic moved out of its emergency response phase. We will forever be grateful to all those who worked to ensure Coloradans had access to free, fast and affordable COVID-19 testing.
