BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Jack Scott, Chair
2007-2008 Regular Session
BILL NO: ACR 99
AUTHOR: Swanson
AS INTRODUCED: February 14, 2008
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: June 25, 2008
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Kathleen Chavira
SUBJECT : School Nurses
SUMMARY
This concurrent resolution urges school districts to
increase school nurse salaries to a level comparable to
salaries received by nurses employed by hospitals and
clinics.
BACKGROUND
Current law requires a school nurse to be a Registered
Nurse (RN) and complete additional educational requirements
for and possesses a School Nurse Services Credential issued
by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
ANALYSIS
This concurrent resolution :
1) Resolves that the Legislature urge school districts to
take the steps necessary to increase school nurse
salaries to a level comparable to salaries of nurses
employed by hospitals and clinics.
2) Makes a number of findings regarding the role that
school nurses play including:
a) The vital role they serve in
providing valuable health care services to
children with a variety of ailments, to support
these students' academic success.
b) The collaborative role school
nurses provide between schools and health and
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human services agencies and the link they provide
between public and private resources and
programs.
3) Makes findings as to the severe shortage of California
school nurses and the difference in salary between
school nurses and nurses employed by hospitals and
clinics.
4) Makes findings regarding the need to increase school
nurse salaries in order to recruit and retain school
nurses.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Intent of the bill . According to the author, the rise
of chronic and acute illness in students and in the
number of special needs students results in a rise in
the need for school nurses to supervise the provision
of, or provide their care. The general nursing
shortage, coupled with a work environment for school
nurses that leaves them overworked, underpaid, and
with no job security, as compared to nurses in acute
care settings, makes it difficult to recruit school
nurses. According to the author, this resolution
seeks to encourage and empower school districts to
look into alternatives to putting the school nurse on
the same salary schedule as the other certificated
staff in a school district, in order to aid them in
obtaining the services of a school nurse.
2) Compared to teachers or compared to private nurses ?
Although the author's stated intent is to place school
nurses on the same salary schedule as other
certificated school district staff, this resolution
urges districts to work toward raising school nurse
salaries to a level comparable to that earned by
nurses employed in non-public school settings. Is it
the desire of the Committee to urge that the salary of
some school district employees be based upon private
sector salaries?
3) School nurse preparation . The CTC issues two school
nurse credentials: a) the Preliminary School Nurse
Services credential, which requires a valid RN
license, a bachelor's degree or higher, and a clear
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criminal history background check; and b) a Clear
School Nurse Services credential, which requires two
years of successful experience as a school nurse and
completion of a CTC-approved school nurse program.
The CTC issues approximately 250 preliminary and clear
school nurse credentials each year. CTC records
indicate there were 2,835 credentialed school nurses
in 2005-06.
4) School nurse shortage . The shortage of school nurses
may have several causes in addition to the wage
disparities between school nurses and nurses who work
in clinical or acute care settings, including district
budget priorities, and the current requirements for
the credential. School nurses are often among the
first classified employees to be laid off and not
replaced during lean fiscal years. In addition,
school nurses, because they are authorized to provide
some instructional services, must not only have an RN,
they must also have at least a bachelor's degree and
complete additional training for the credential. This
resolution focuses upon only one factor which may be
contributing to the shortage.
SUPPORT
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO
California Federation of Teachers
California School Nurses Organization
Individual letters from school nurses
OPPOSITION
California Teachers Association