School Health Services
The information and resources in this section are intended to support schools and school nurses to assess, plan, develop, and enhance school health services. The structure of school health services is not only developed and maintained by adhering to state or federal statutes/rules but also by nationally recognized frameworks, guidance, and recommendations. Using these together, based on local assessment of student needs, school and community resources, school health services can meet the health and safety needs of students, improve health and educational equity, and improve educational outcomes such as attendance and help all Minnesota students thrive.
Assessing School Health Services
Schools can benefit from self-assessment that help identify strength and weaknesses and give insight on creating effective action plans for improving student health using these resources.
Financing School Health Services
Schools use a variety of funding resources to finance school health services which are described in this section.
Frameworks for School Health Services
Frameworks such as The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model and School Nursing Practice Framework™ are used as baseline structures for programming, services and practice that support student health and academic outcomes.
Health and Education Equity
Creating healthy schools that specifically support students’ and educators’ health and well-being is a critical step in addressing educational inequities and is a strategy to disrupt ongoing health inequities.
Health Services Staffing
There are several different models for the delivery of school health program services. Minnesota school health law highlights the obligation to provide health services to promote the health of students. Nursing licensure and Nursing Scope of Practice also shape the structure of school health services. Various health services structure, staffing models, and types of school health personnel are described here.
Law, Rules, and Regulations
School Health Services Laws and Rules provides resources and links to Minnesota laws and administrative rules, federal laws, and regulations. Information provided on American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
School Wellness Committee
A school wellness committee is an action-oriented advisory group that focuses on the health and well-being of students, staff, and families in a school community. The school wellness committee implements the district wellness policy and leads other health-related initiatives.