Across the country, schools are struggling to hire enough nurses to support student health needs.
In many districts:
- One nurse covers multiple campuses
- Teachers or administrators manage health concerns
- Students are sent home unnecessarily due to lack of evaluation
These realities are especially common in rural communities, where healthcare workforce shortages make nurse recruitment extremely difficult.
Yet student health needs continue to grow.
Conditions such as asthma, diabetes, injuries, and mental health challenges require attention during the school day—often from trained medical professionals.
This guide explores how districts are navigating the school nurse shortage and evaluating new approaches to expand healthcare access for students.
