H.R. 3262

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To make demonstration grants to eligible local educational agencies or consortia of eligible local educational agencies for the purpose of increasing the numbers of school nurses in public elementary schools and secondary schools.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · May 7, 2025 · Sponsor: Ms. Titus

Table of contents

• H.R. 3262
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Findings
  • SEC. 3. Increasing the number of school nurses

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Findings

• Congress finds the following:
  • The National Association of School Nurses identifies schools as primary locations to address student health issues. Since a school nurse is the health care provider that many students see on the most regular basis, it is the position of National Association of School Nurses that a professional registered school nurse be present in every school all day, every day.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics has recognized the crucial role that school nurses play in children’s health and has called for having a full-time school nurse every day and in every school building.
  • The school nurse functions as the leader and coordinator of the school health services team, including by carrying out chronic disease management and health promotion as well as facilitating access to a medical home for each child and supporting academic achievement.
  • With over 25 percent of students managing chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy, the presence of a school nurse ensures these children can thrive in a safe and supportive environment.
  • A 2024 Morning Consult public-opinion poll conducted to understand the public perception of school nursing found that 87 percent of adults in the United States have a favorable view of school nurses.
  • According to data from the National Association of School Nurses, one-third of schools do not have a school nurse.
  • The American Federation of Teachers has called for a nurse in every school, as nurses are frontline workers that address an array of health needs and their presence in a school can help to improve student learning.
  • School nurses promote wellness and disease prevention to improve health outcomes for our Nation’s children. In addition, school nurses perform early intervention services such as periodic assessments for vision, hearing, and dental problems, in an effort to remove barriers to learning.
  • The National Association of School Nurses has reported that medication administration to students is one of the most common health-related activities performed in school. As more chronically ill and medically unstable children enter the school system each year, the medical factors that promote and support their academic success increase, including the need for medications that enhance overall health or stabilize chronic conditions.
  • According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, students today face increased social and emotional issues, which enhance the need for preventive services and interventions for acute and chronic health issues. School nurses are actively engaged members of school-based mental health teams and spend nearly 32 percent of their time providing mental health services, including universal and targeted interventions, screenings to identify early warning signs and provide referrals to medical providers, and crisis planning.
  • Communicable and infectious diseases account for millions of school days lost each year. Data illustrates that when students have access to a registered nurse in school, immunization rates increase.

SEC. 3. Increasing the number of school nurses

• (a) Definitions
  • In this section:
    • The terms , , , and have the meanings given to the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (). elementary school,local educational agency,secondary school,State educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801
    • The term , when used with respect to a level, means the level of a patient’s sickness, such as a chronic condition, which influences the need for nursing care. acuity
    • The term eligible entity means—
    • The term high-need local educational agency means a local educational agency described in paragraph (3)(A)—
    • The term nurse means a registered nurse, as defined under State law.
    • The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.
    • The term , when used with respect to a nurse, means the amount of time the nurse takes to provide care and complete the other tasks for which the nurse is responsible. workload
• (b) Demonstration grant program authorized
  • (1) In general
    • From amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary of Education shall award demonstration grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of the costs of increasing the number of school nurses in the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible entity, which may include hiring a school nurse to serve schools in multiple school districts.
  • (2) Ss
    • In the case of an eligible entity described in subsection (a)(3)(C) that receives a grant under paragraph (1), such entity shall use amounts received under the grant to award subgrants to the local educational agencies that are members of the entity, and reserve not more than 10 percent of such grant funds to support statewide activities to meet a variety of health needs, which may include hiring a nurse to provide training and technical assistance to schools statewide that meet the criteria established in subsection (d)(2)(A).
    • Ss
• (c) Applications
  • (1) In general
    • An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
  • (2) Contents
    • Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include information with respect to the current (as of the date of application) number of school nurses, student health acuity levels, and workload of school nurses in each of the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible entity.
• (d) Priority
  • In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to each application submitted by an eligible entity that—

• is a high-need local educational agency, a consortium composed of high-need local education agencies, or a State educational agency in consortium with high-need local education agencies; and
• demonstrates—
  • the greatest need for new or additional nursing services among students in the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the agency or consortium; or
  • that the eligible entity does not have a school nurse in any of the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the local educational agency or the consortium-member local educational agencies.