WHEREAS, P.A. 90-548 has been enacted by the State of Illinois in December 1997; and

WHEREAS, certification for school nurses (Type 73) under Section 21-25 of the Act has been maintained; and

WHEREAS, P.A. 90-548 requires that any school nurse "whose duties require teaching or the exercise of instructional judgment or educational evaluation of pupils, must be certificated under Section 21-25 of the Act"; and

WHEREAS, the duties of teaching, instructional judgment, and educational evaluation are an inherent part of the comprehensive health and educational services required by every child; and

WHEREAS, the school nurse is the only health professional resource available in the school setting who is prepared in both education and health specialties, and is thereby able to administer a comprehensive school health program;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses maintains that the certificated school nurse (Type 73) is optimally prepared to manage a safe and appropriate comprehensive school health program;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses believes that any nurse practicing independently in a school setting and responsible for the overall health program should be appropriately prepared through an Illinois State Board of Education approved certification program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses maintains that the delivery of school health services to children in Illinois is most appropriately provided by the certificated school nurse; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that the Illinois Association of School Nurses believes that every school-aged child in Illinois has a right to access the services of a certificated school nurse.