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This area of the website provides information and guidance in regard to the physical health of students. Trainings, information about specific school health issues, classroom management and student and family resources are found here.​

Important Infectious Disease Information from Illinois Department of Public Health

After Illinois remained measles-free for three years, there have been 6 confirmed cases in the past 6 months. In February 2024, the Indiana Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles in a young child from northwest Indiana who received medical care at three Chicago hospitals while contagious which resulted in numerous exposures to individuals who came in contact with them. This underscores the need to improve vaccination in our school age populations. A second case of measles in an older adult was identified in March 2024 who had multiple community exposures during their infectious period and no identified source of the infection, suggesting a concern for ​local transmission of measles. An additional Illinois case was just confirmed this week in young child from a new arrival shelter who has recovered and is no longer infectious. Further, we are seeing a decline in measles vaccine coverage in school-age children, nationally and in Illinois to a level below the 95% herd-immunity level needed for protection against measles.

Please see the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Measles Update for Daycares and Schools document for important information regarding the diagnosis, treatment, transmission and prevention of measles.

Training Opportunities
  • Special Education Directors and Administrators Looking to Increase Capacity for Nurses to Complete Health Evaluations​
    RNs in Schools – Expanding Your Special Education Role

    Registered nurses with an ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL) endorsed in School Nursing and Non-PEL RNs with ISBE’s IEP Designation can fully participate in supporting students by writing goals and evaluating education outcomes for students receiving special education services.

    Nurses whose role includes participating in Individualized Education Program planning may be eligible to take this course.  An upcoming course is available for nurses established in a district before December 2024.  District administrators or special education cooperative directors may request for a nurse to participate in the session from April 2 – May 13, 2025. ​​ If interested, discuss it with your supervisor or district administration.

    District administrators and special education directors needing to fill this role:

    1. Review this Non-PEL IEP Designee Administrator checklistPDF Document to ensure compliance with Special Education Rule 226.160PDF Document.
      1. An RN (meeting the educational level of Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Education, or a related field) may complete the School Nurse Content Exam.
      2. An RN (meeting the educational level of Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Education, or a related field) may complete the IEP Designation Course provided through ISBE.
    2. Administrators are to complete the Request for IEP Designation Form. Indicate whether requesting approval for option 1a (exam) or 1b (course).

  • Medical Cannabis-Infused Product Administration Training/Seminar (Updated 10/09/2024)
    School Code 105 ILCS 5/22-33 specifies that a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school must allow a school nurse or school administrator to administer a medical cannabis-infused product to a student who is a registered qualifying patient while on school premises; while at a school-sponsored activity; or before or after normal school activities, including while the student is being transported on a school bus. It further provides that a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school may authorize the self-administration of a medical cannabis-infused product by a student who is a registered qualifying patient if the self-administration takes place under the direct supervision of a school nurse or school administrator.
    • ISBE will provide updated training on an annual basis.
    • A school must maintain records related to the training curriculum and of the school nurses or school administrators who have completed the training.
    • Administrators or PEL school nurses who will supervise students who have a qualifying condition to use medical cannabis are required to complete annual training.
    • Training is accessed by logging into Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS). Go to PD+ and view training. It is necessary to follow this path to access the training, which will be linked to your Illinois Educator Identification Number (IEIN) and maintained within ELIS. If you encounter difficulty accessing the training Medical Cannabis-Infused Product and for professional development credit, email: schoolnurse@isbe.net.
    • Non-PEL nurses, other school personnel, and health professionals will receive professional development credit for viewing as a seminar Medical Cannabis-Infused Product Administration. Professional development credit is available through June 30, 2025.
    • School year 2024-25 training is available July 29, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
    • See recorded webinarGo To Meeting Link.
    • Participants must complete the Evaluation Survey in order to obtain a Professional Development Certificate for one hour of credit. At the end of the survey, you will need to copy and paste the link to print your certificate. This will be the ONLY opportunity to print a PD Certificate.
  • CDC Healthy Schools e-Learning Series​
    • The Training Tools for Healthy Schools: Promoting Health and Academic Success e-Learning series consists of five core training tools that have been converted to 1 to 1.5-hour modules. All five modules include a “Go Further” section for additional knowledge and resources.
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  • Certification in School Nursing
    Registered Nurses who are interested in obtaining a certificate that may lead to a school nurse license issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) may contact these universities that are currently accepting students into the program. The programs are approved by the State Education Professional Licensure Board (SEPLB) to prepare Registered Nurses (R.N.) to obtain Professional Educator License, endorsed in school nursing, which is the required license to perform all the duties of school nurse as defined in Illinois School Code.
    These programs to prepare registered nurses to obtain professional educator licensure endorsed for school nursing are currently taking applications:

School Health Notices

School Wellness Policy

State Laws/Statutes and Rules/Regulations
  • PA 101-0050: SEIZURE SMART SCHOOL ACT
    Creates the Seizure Smart School Act. Requires the parent or guardian of a student with epilepsy who seeks assistance with epilepsy-related care in a school setting to submit a seizure action plan with the student's school. Effective January 1, 2020.
  • PA 101-0350: MENTAL ILLNESS IN-SERVICE TRAINING
    Amends the School Code. With regard to the in-service training program on the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth, provides that a school district may utilize the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program, established under the Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act and administered by certified instructors trained by a national association recognized as an authority in behavioral health, to provide the training. Provides that if licensed school personnel or an administrator obtains mental health first aid training outside of an in-service training program, he or she may present a certificate of successful completion of the training to the school district to satisfy the training requirements.  Effective January 1, 2020.
  • ​Child Health Examination Code - IDPH Rules (77 IL Administrative Code 665)
  • IDPH Laws and Administrative Rules
    • ​Reports of Communicable Disease: Some illnesses are so serious that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires health care providers (including nurses working in schools) to report to the state health department any suspected or confirmed cases of certain diseases. For a poster of those reportable diseases and conditions go to reportable-diseases-poster.pdfPDF Document. 

      ​Federal and state laws protecting student privacy normally require written parental release of information to any entities outside of the school system. However, some threats to health and safety are great enough that federal law (FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) allow written consent to release to be waived. Obtaining parental permission for release is preferable, and parents should be notified that the release will be made. The Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) have agreed in principle that for diseases that are required to be reported “immediately” [Class I(a)] or “within 24 hours” [Class I(b)] schools may release the student’s identity and other necessary information without written parental release. Any reportable illnesses that fall under a longer reporting time period than 24 hours must be accompanied by written parental consent. If the parent does not consent to release information on conditions requiring reporting beyond the 24-hour timeline, school nurses and other school officials may remind other health care providers outside of school, including physicians, hospitals, and laboratories, that they also are mandated to report the case to the state health department and they are protected by the regulations for HIPAA (Health Insurance and Portability Act) when doing so. Schools in general are not subject to nor protected by HIPAA; educational entities and personnel are required to follow regulations in FERPA and ISSRA (Illinois School Students Records Act) when releasing educational (including student health) information to persons or entities outside of the school system.

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