Logo

3415 - Accommodating Students With Diabetes

BOARD POLICY No. 3415

ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DIABETES

The District designates the Director of Health Services to:

    1. Consult and coordinate with the parents/guardians and licensed health care providers (LHCP) of students with diabetes; and
    2. Train and supervise appropriate staff in the care of students with diabetes.

The district shall develop and follow an individual health plan (IHP)for each student with diabetes. Each IHP shall include an individual emergency plan. The IHP shall be updated annually, and more frequently as needed. The Director of Health Services shall designate who may assume responsibility for activities in the IHP.

Parents/guardians of students with diabetes may designate an adult to provide care for their student consistent with the student’s IHP. At parent/guardian request, school district employees may volunteer to be a parent-designated adult (PDA) under this policy, but they shall not be required to participate. PDAs who are school employees shall file a voluntary, written, current, and unexpired letter of intent stating their willingness to be a PDA. PDAs who are school employees are required to receive training in caring for students with diabetes from the Director of Health Services or from a nationally certified diabetes educator. PDAs who are not school employees are required to show evidence of comparable training, meet with appropriate school staff, and meet school district requirements for volunteers. PDAs shall receive additional training from a parent/guardian-selected health care professional or expert in diabetic care to provide the care requested by the parent/guardian. The Director of Health Services is not responsible for the supervision of procedures authorized by the parents/guardians and carried out by the PDA.

In addition to adhering to the requirements of each IHP, for the general care of students with diabetes, the district shall:

    1. Acquire necessary written parent/guardian requests and instructions for treatment.
    2. Acquire monitoring and treatment orders from licensed health care providers (LHCP) prescribing within the scope of their prescriptive authority for monitoring and treatment at school.
    3. Provide sufficient and secure storage for medical equipment and medication provided by the parent/guardian.
    4. Permit students with diabetes to perform blood glucose tests, administer insulin, treat hypoglycemia, and hyperglycemia, with easy access to the necessary supplies, equipment, and medication necessary under their IHP. The IHP may include the option for students to carry the necessary supplies, equipment, and medication on their person and perform monitoring and treatment functions wherever they are on school grounds or at school sponsored events.
    5. Permit students with diabetes unrestricted access to necessary food and water on schedule and as needed, and unrestricted access to bathroom facilities. When food is served at school events, provision shall be made for appropriate food to be available to students with diabetes.
    6. Shall not withhold school meals from any student for disciplinary reasons. Students with diabetes shall not miss meals because they are not able to pay for them. The charge for the meal will be billed to the parent/guardian or adult student and collected consistent with district policies.
    7. Provide parents/guardians and health care providers of students with diabetes with a description of their student’s school schedule to facilitate the timing of monitoring, treatment, and food consumption.
    8. Develop an individual emergency plan for each student with diabetes.
    9. Distribute each student’s IHP to appropriate staff based on the student’s needs and the staff member’s contact with the student.
    10. Provide for inservice training for school staff using Guidelines for Care of Students with Diabetes developed jointly by OSPI and the Department of Health.

Parents/guardians are key partners in providing for the safety and health of their children during the school day and should:

    1. Participate in the development of the IHP
    2. Coordinate with the Director of Health Services
    3. Provide a current signed consent to exchange information with the child’s health care provider.
    4. Provide written requests and instructions to the Director of Health Services.
    5. Provide orders from a LHCP prescribing within the scope of their prescriptive authority for monitoring and treatment at school.
    6. Provide written legal authorization for a PDA to provide care, as needed, specifying the care so authorized, provided that such are consistent with the child’s IHP.
    7. Coordinate with the Director of Health Services to ensure that the additional care authorized for the PDA to provide is consistent with the child’s IHP.
    8. Arrange for a health care professional or an expert in diabetes to provide training for the care that the parent/guardian authorizes the PDA to provide.
    9. Provide supplies, snacks, and equipment.

The district, its employees, agents, or PDAs who act in good faith and in substantial compliance with a student’s IHP and the instructions of the student’s health care provider shall not be criminally or civilly liable for services provided under RCW 28A.210.330.

Cross References:

Board Policy

2162

Education of Students with Disabilities Under Section 504

3416

Medication at School

3520

Student Fees, Fines and Charges

Legal References:

RCW

5630

Volunteers

RCW

  28A.210.330-350

 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

 

PL 101-336 Americans with Disabilities Act

 

First Reading: April 22, 2003

Adopted by the Board: May 8, 2003

Copyright © 2017 Walla Walla Public Schools. All Rights Reserved.
Website Design by Walla Walla Web Weavers.
In partnership with Walla Walla School District Communications Dept.