Page 13 - Superintendents Toolkit 2013

Certified School Nurse
Background:
Having Certified School Nurses (CSNs) make
recommendations for a child’s special-education
needs has been required by ISBE since 1976. In 2010,
after some school superintendents complained how
difficult it was to find CSNs, the agency allowed RNs
and advanced practice nurses to make such
recommendations.
After the rule changed in 2010, a number of groups,
including the Illinois Association for School Nurses
(IASN), Illinois Education Association (IEA), Chicago
Teachers Union (CTU) and American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP), pushed the state board to revert
back to the original language.
The rule mandating the use of CSNs was scheduled to be implemented July 1, 2013, but State
Superintendent Dr. Chris Koch, after meeting with a group that included members of IASA’s Legislative
Committee, said that implementing the rule would not be feasible by July 1. Dr. Koch also said he would
work with the stakeholder groups to try and find a permanent solution.
Issue:
If ISBE succumbs to the pressure from the IASN and the unions and decides to go forward with the CSN
mandate, it will cost schools more money than the current practice of using Registered Nurses (RNs). There
also is a problem with finding CSNs in many parts of the state and currently there are only three colleges
offering the necessary coursework.
IASA is pushing for a compromise solution that might include specialized webinar and online training for
RNs, but would not require certification or the hiring of the more expensive CSNs. Any new or amended
rule would require the approval of the Joint Committee for Administrative Rules (JCAR) and would have to
include a minimum of two 45-day comment periods. If or when a new or amended rule is posted, we will
need to send letters to JCAR supporting our position on this issue.
Meanwhile, State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) has introduced House Bill 1373 that would require
school districts to employ CSNs for special education students.
(Continued on page 14)