H.R. 305: One School, One Nurse Act of 2025

This bill, titled the One School, One Nurse Act of 2025, aims to support local educational agencies in ensuring that each elementary and secondary school has at least one full-time registered nurse on staff. The legislation seeks to assist states and local agencies by providing grants for hiring and maintaining a sufficient number of school nurses, with the goal of achieving recommended nurse-to-student ratios.

Purpose and Findings

• The bill's purpose is to address the shortage of school nurses in public schools, recognizing that many schools lack adequate nursing staff.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that every school should have at least one full-time nurse.
• According to data from the 2015-2016 school year, around half of public schools had a full-time nurse, with some schools, especially those serving lower-income families, having no nursing staff.
• School nurses are essential for providing health services to uninsured children, as they often represent the primary access to healthcare in these settings.
• Research indicates schools with full-time nurses see better overall health outcomes among students, including lower absenteeism and improved management of chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes.

Grant Program

• The U.S. Secretary of Education will establish a competitive grant program for eligible entities to support the employment of school nurses.
• Entities that apply for these grants must demonstrate persistent shortages of nurses, outline the health needs of their students, and present a detailed plan for the use of funds.
• Grants will be available for five years, helping schools hire and retain nurses and convert part-time positions to full-time roles, if necessary.
• Priority will be given to partnerships involving high-need local educational agencies and those that focus on hiring nurses from underrepresented populations in the public health sector.

Requirements for Eligible Entities

• Entities seeking grants must provide a needs assessment showing staffing shortages.
• They must articulate how they plan to use the grant funds effectively and sustain nurse employment beyond the grant period.
• Entities will also need to report annually on their progress toward employing sufficient nurses and achieving recommended nurse-to-student ratios.

Regulatory Framework

• The Secretary of Education is required to set recommended nurse-to-student ratios in consultation with health departments and provide guidelines to help schools meet these ratios.
• Definitional clarity on terms like full-time and underrepresented populations within the context of school nursing will also be established.

Definitions

• Eligible entity refers to local educational agencies or partnerships structured to receive grants.
• A high-need local educational agency is characterized by its significant challenges in securing adequate educational resources.
• A school nurse is defined as a registered nurse employed by a school with the necessary qualifications to provide a range of health services.

Benefits of the Bill

• The establishment of at least one full-time registered nurse in every school is expected to improve students' health outcomes significantly.
• By retaining and hiring qualified nurses, the bill aims to address educational gaps and health disparities that exist among student populations, particularly in high-need areas.

Relevant Companies

• None found