School Health Services
School health programs in Virginia public schools support the physical and emotional well-being of students through school nursing services, health education covering a range of developmentally appropriate topics and other services that promote a healthy learning environment.
Use the menu to the right to navigate to the sub-sections of this topic:
- School Health Office
- School Nurse Professional Development – A School Health Services Resource from the Virginia Department of Education
- School Health Advisory Boards (SHAB) – Each Virginia public school board establishes a school health advisory board consisting of representation from parents, students, health professionals, educators and others.
- Medicaid & Schools – School divisions can submit reimbursement claims to Medicaid for some services provided to students.
COVID-19 Related School Nurse Resources
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has been working closely with the Governor’s Office, the Virginia Department of Health, and other state agencies to ensure our public schools and communities have the most up-to-date information and resources. The health and safety of our children and staff are our top priorities. Visit COVID-19 & Virginia Public Schools for access to the latest updates. Information specific to school nurses is provided below.
- Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Presentations
- VA Association of School Nurses
provides a the School Health Resources Recovery Plan resource document with school nurse specific information related to processes and procedures impacted by COVID 19. - Center for Disease Control Resource Documents
- Back to School Planning: Checklists to Guide Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers
- Guidance for K-12 School Administrators on the Use of Cloth Face Coverings in Schools
- FAQ for School Administrators on Reopening Schools
- Screening K-12 Students for Symptoms of COVID-19: Limitations and Considerations
- School Decision-Making Tool for Parents, Caregivers, and Guardian
- Back to School Planning: Checklists to Guide Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers
- The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has released the following resources to assist school divisions:
- VDH, K-12 Education Page
- VDH, Resource for School Nurses
- VDH, Resource for School Administrators
- VDH, Resources for Parents and Families
- Contact Tracing as a Partnership Involving VDH, the Child and Parents/Guardians, and Schools/Childcare Programs-This is a PDF document.
- Ending Isolation Infographic-This is a PDF document.
- Isolation and Quarantine Infographic-This is a PDF document. explains the difference between isolation and quarantine.
- HIPAA/FERPA during the COVID Pandemic
- Information Sharing in the School Setting During a Public Health Emergency (2020) - The purpose of this article is to briefly review the privacy laws as they relate to schools, as well as to provide an overview of the recent waivers to assist school nurses, school administrators, healthcare professionals, and public health agencies in protecting the health and safety of students during this current public health emergency
- Student Privacy During the COVID-19 Pandemic-This is a PDF document. - Student health information is typically protected by FERPA, not the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Consent is usually required before disclosing personal information, but both laws have exceptions when disclosures are made to protect the health or safety of others in an emergency. This resource reviews how FERPA and HIPAA govern the disclosure of students’ health information held by schools, and provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with examples illustrating how FERPA applies in the context of COVID-19.
- Personal Protective Equipment Use for Special Populations (AAP, 2020)-This is a PDF document. - This resource provides recommendations to school nurses, special education staff and school administrators regarding the use of PPE in special populations for procedures or treatments during the school day.
School Entrance Requirements
Reference to Commonwealth & Policy Made at the Local Level
- School Entrance Physical Examination Requirements-This is a Word document.
- The VDH Commonwealth of Virginia School Entrance Health Form (MCH213G) is now available for use in an online fillable format on the School Health website.