Action Alerts

September 11, 2020 Action Alert - Funding for School Nurses
Ask the Legislature to Increase Funding

From the Diocese of Metuchen:
The New Jersey Catholic Conference and the New Jersey Network of Catholic School Families are asking for a reasonable increase in the per-pupil amounts for school nursing in nonpublic schools, among them our Catholic schools.
As you can imagine, the threat of COVID-19 places an even greater emphasis on the need for a full-time nurse in all schools – public and nonpublic – yet the cost for nursing services for nonpublic school students is limited by statute and Budget language.

During the enactment of the nursing services legislation during the 1991-1992 school year, the per-pupil amount was $60.00 per pupil. That amount has risen by only $37.00 in the intervening years to a figure of $97.00 during the 2019-2020 school year and as a result, many small nonpublic schools do not have a full-time nurse.

We hope to raise the per-pupil amount in order to cover the increased costs in nursing salaries, the cost of recent requirements imposed as the result of COVID-19, and the need to have a full-time nurse in every school.

Nurses serve as first responders in cases of emergencies of all kinds. With the advent of requirements for the authorized dispensation of medications for conditions such as asthma or to administer medications like epinephrine and various other medications, the Legislature has added many more duties for nurses, which require the presence of a full-time nurse.

Formal testimony is due by respective Budget Committees tomorrow, so please take action tonight by calling or emailing the legislators on the respective Budget Committees. If your legislators are not on one of the Budget Committees, please contact them and ask them to urge their colleagues on the Committees to do so. This is a fast-moving issue, where the impact of our voices can be heard and make a difference for our students. In only a few clicks, you can urge your legislators to give our Catholic school students and families greater reassurance that they can rely on the care of a school nurse when needed. 

Thank you for answering the call to support our students by advocating for them!