Superintendents Toolkit 2013

Certified School Nurse

(Continued from page 13)

Talking points:

 The current system in which most districts utilize Registered Nurses as part of the team that participates in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for special education students is working. There are no identifiable cases to demonstrate a need for having the certification.  The nurses provide

or even a doctor to the IEP meeting to provide medical input. Forcing school districts to hire or contract for CSNs at a time of drastic cuts in state funding for education would cause many school districts to lay off teachers and/or cut educational programs. To illustrate the point, General State Aid was cut by 11 percent this school year and projected to be cut by as much as 20 percent next school year, and Transportation has been cut by 42 percent over the last three years.

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Resources:

School nurse mandate being re-examined (State Journal-Register story 2/8/13) CSN testimony during House hearing (2012)

CSN letter to JCAR (2012)

important medical input as part of the IEP process, but the process is a team effort, with the final

decisions being in the hands of the special education director.  Parents can, if they want, bring a nurse