The School TLC Study

COVID-19 Testing, Learning, and Consultation for Safe In-Person Learning

Children's Mercy has partnered with Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) and the Mattie Rhodes Center to offer the School TLC Study. The study provides free COVID-19 testing for KCPS students, staff and community members to keep the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All KCPS students, staff and community members can get free COVID-19 testing at the Mattie Rhodes Center. If you are a KCPS student or staff, you can also get free testing at school.

2022-2023 Year in Review

About The School TLC Study

Teen boy getting direction from a Children’s Mercy provider on how to use a nose swab for a COVID-19 test.

Photo of five children playing near fountains with an adult standing nearby.

Mother and child wearing face masks looking at the camera.

The National Institutes of Health funds the School TLC Study through the Safe Return to School Diagnostic Testing Initiative and Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program.

The purpose of the School TLC Study is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools and promote a safe, in-person, learning environment.

The School TLC Study is led by Jennifer Goldman, MD and Jennifer Schuster, MD of Children’s Mercy Kansas City, and Dana Keener Mast, PhD of ICF, in partnership with Kansas City Public Schools and Mattie Rhodes Center.

Sign up today

The School TLC Study provides free COVID-19 testing for KCPS students, staff and community members to keep the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital toolkit

The School TLC Study team developed a digital toolkit for local organizations to share with community members. The toolkit includes digital and print resources that explain the importance of testing throughout the school year, the study’s benefits and how to enroll.

View the toolkit.