(BOISE) – Eighteen local education agencies in Idaho will receive full or part-time school-based nurses thanks to funding from the Healthy Schools Grant. The grant aids in supporting school-based nursing in underserved schools in Idaho.
The Healthy Schools Grant is funded by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid, and is administered by the Idaho Department of Education. The grant awards $400,000 over the next three years. Local education agencies can receive $40,000 to fund one full-time equivalent (FTE) nurse position or $20,000 for a half-FTE nurse position, depending on their needs.
For the past ten years, 13 school districts in Idaho have been granted an FTE or half-FTE nurse through this grant. This year, 18 schools will receive grant awards. Of those, five schools are partnering with neighboring districts or charters to share a nurse. The grant will fund these positions for three years.
“Properly staffing our schools with employees trained to address student health and well-being is an important step in supporting our students and our educational communities,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield. “Getting nurses into these schools has the potential to make an enormous difference not only for students, but for teachers and other staff members who can now defer to a trained expert when it comes to student health.”
The following districts received grants to fund an onsite nurse:
- Basin School District
- Filer School District
- Firth School District
- Future Public School
- Kamiah Joint School District
- Payette Joint School District
- Preston Joint School District
The following districts will receive grants to share an onsite nurse:
- Bliss School District and North Valley Academy
- Cambridge School District and Midvale School District
- Clark County School District and West Jefferson School
- Grace Joint School District, Soda Springs Joint School District, North Gem School
- Horseshoe Bend School District and Garden Valley School District