Medications At School Guidelines

California Education Code requires that any student taking medication during the school day must have a doctor’s written order along with parental written permission.  (E.C. 49423). 

Please do not send your child to school with medication in their backpack to take on their own.  

If your child requires medication during school hours, please take the medication form to your child’s doctor for completion (Forma de medicamento). The form must be completed by a California physician, surgeon, or physician’s assistant.  Orders from doctors practicing outside California will not be accepted.  Medication cannot be administered by the nurse or school staff until this form is completed and delivered to the school site. 

What to do if your child needs medication at school but you don’t have the medication form completed:  If the form has not been completed and the child must receive medication at school, the parent or designee may come onto campus to administer the medication directly to the child.

Delivering Medication To The School Site

Deliver medication to the health office in its original pharmacy container with the original pharmacy label adhered to the container.  Over- the-counter medications must be delivered in the original sealed bottle. The information on the pill bottle must match the orders written by the doctor on the medication form. The strength of the medication delivered must match the strength of the medication prescribed by the doctor (mg, mcg, etc.) Prescribed medication must be in the student’s name.

Students Carrying Medication On Campus

In the case of prescribed medications for asthma, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes, students may carry these medications on their person or in their backpacks if the doctor has completed the medication form and has designated “child trained to self-administer”.  This rule only applies to medications prescribed for asthma, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes as they are life threatening medical conditions.  If these medications are  found on your student during a random sweep, records in the health office will be checked to make sure the medication is prescribed and the medication form is current and up to date.

Medication At Home

Please inform Nurse Harris of any prescribed medications your child is taking regularly at home, along with the current dosage, and the name of the supervising physician who prescribed the medication.  Update Nurse Harris if these medications are changed, discontinued, or if additional medications are prescribed during the school year.