1. VASN Legislative Priorities 2016-17 and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
VASN Legislative Committee
2016 Virginia Association of School Nurses
Annual Fall Conference
Saturday, November 5, 2016

2. Disclosure Statement Planner, Presenter and Author Disclosures
Janet B.Wright
Becky Bowers-Lanier
We disclose the absence of personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this educational activity within the past 12 months.

3. Objectives
Define the Board of Education (BOE) Standards of Quality (SOQs)
Discuss SOQ current standards relating to school nurses
Discuss proposed 2016 recommendations to SOQ revisions
Discuss Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015
Discuss VASN 2017 Legislative Call to Action

4. Board of Education (BOE) Standards of Quality (SOQ)
Constitution of Virginia requires BOE to prescribe the Standards of Quality for public schools.
SOQs-
Contained in the Code of Virginia
Encompass the requirements that all Virginia
public schools/school divisions must meet
Foundational program for public education in
Virginia

5. Standards of Quality (SOQs)
SOQs reviewed by the Board of Education every two years, as required by the Code of Virginia, for necessary revisions.
Ensures that Virginia public schools have necessary resources to provide instruction, programs and supports to prepare students for transition to life.

6. COV§ 22.1-253.13:2. Standard 2. Instructional, administrative, and support personnel
O. Each local school board shall provide those support
services that are necessary for the efficient and cost-
effective operation and maintenance of its public schools.
3. Student support positions, including (i) social
workers and social work administrative positions;
(ii) guidance administrative positions not included in
subdivision H 4; (iii) homebound administrative positions
supporting instruction; (iv) attendance support positions
related to truancy and dropout prevention; and (v) health
and behavioral positions, including school nurses and
school psychologists;
Currently, local school divisions have the discretion to fill these positions as they deem necessary.

7. Proposed SOQ Recommendations (2016)
COV§ :2. Standard 2. Instructional, administrative, and support personnel. K. Local school boards shall employ one full-time equivalent school nurse position per 550 students in grades kindergarten through 12.
The SOQ recommendations remove school nurse professionals from the support services position category and provides a prescribed ratio in the SOQs. This is a significant step forward for the school nursing profession in Virginia.

8. Proposed SOQ Recommendations (2016)
During FY2015, school divisions employed School Nurses at one position per approximately 600 students. Proposed language- School nurses at one position per approximately 550 students. DOE averaged current data across all school divisions to arrive recommended ratio of one school nurse: 550 students.
*Limited data on the number of school nurses employed each school division due to inconsistent reporting among school divisions.
Therefore, proposed SOQs for school nurse staffing ratios will not require additional state expenditure of funds.

9. VASN Response to SOQ Recommendations (2016)
VASN Legislative Committee meetings VASN created SOQ response in support of the proposed SOQ revisions recommending- One full time school nurse for every 550 students VASN submitted response in October to Board of Education during public comment period

10. Proposed SOQ Recommendations (2016)
The Board of Education approved the proposed SOQ revisions at its October 27 meeting.
Next steps:
The Governor will (hopefully) include all proposed SOQ revisions in a bill introduced in the 2017 session.
No funds will be appropriated for the revisions until the FY budget.
The price tag will be very much on the minds of legislators during the 2017 session.

11. NASN Position Statement- School Nurse Workload: Staffing for Safe Care
Former staffing ratio of one school nurse to 750 students in a healthy population
NASN position statement cited-
“limited evidence to support ratios”
“one-size-fits-all workload determination is
inadequate to fill complex health needs of
students”
NASN does not recommend a specific staffing ratio; rather, staffing should be determined by
SDOH and student health care needs
(NASN, 2015)
“While VASN understands the NASN position, we are also cognizant that the architecture of the SOQs is the legal means by which Virginia schools employ teacher, administrative, and support personnel and that SOQs are linked to high educational aspirations and outcomes.” (VASN, 2016).

12. Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA)
Signed into law December 2015
Replaces the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) amendment, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001
Transfers greater accountability to state and local education agencies
Includes “Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP)” language throughout the law

13. What is SISP? Specialized Instructional Support Personnel
Includes school social workers, psychologists, school nurses, counselors, speech language pathologists, school librarians and others
Direct referral to the school nurse role-new law highlights chronic disease management led by school nurses

14. Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP)
ESSA cites SISP several times as essential for student learning
ESSA recognizes the intersection between education and health
SISP reduce barriers to learning and help students achieve their academic potential

15. VASN Members Call to Action in 2017
VASN legislative committee will develop “talking points” in support of the proposed SOQ revisions.
We will ask that you contact your legislators to help them understand the value of including school nurses in the SOQ.
Recognizes the importance of school nurses in the education of students.
The proposed ratio is consistent with current practice among local school divisions.
Important to meet with your legislators in December AND to come to VASN legislative day.

16. References
Code of Virginia § :2. National Association of School Nurses. (2015). School nurse workload: Staffing for safe care (Position statement). Silver Spring, MD: Author. Virginia Association of School Nurses. (2016). Standards of quality public comment response. Richmond, VA: Author. Virginia Department of Education. (2016). First review of Recommendations to revise the standards of quality. Richmond, VA: Author.

17. VASN Legislative Committee
Questions?
Thank you.
VASN Legislative Committee