Support equal access to physical and socio-emotional healthcare for all preK-12 students
March 25, 2018

Resolution

Whereas, the CFT is committed to ensuring all students have equal access to curriculum, giving each child the opportunities afforded them with a quality public education; and

Whereas, educators are facing the demands of delivering increasingly rigorous curriculum as their students are experiencing more barriers to their success in the classroom; and

Whereas, the CFT is committed to ensuring all students have equal access to curriculum, giving each child the opportunities afforded them with a quality public education; and

Whereas, educators are facing the demands of delivering increasingly rigorous curriculum as their students are experiencing more barriers to their success in the classroom; and

Whereas, 23 percent of children in California live in poverty. They may experience an increased rate of traumatic experiences which can have profound effects on their brain development leading to difficulties with peer relationships, as well as focus and ability to comprehend increasingly rigorous curriculum; and

Whereas, nutrition has a profound impact on brain development. Nutritional deficiencies can damage a child’s brain development leading to issues with vision, language development, social skills, memorization, and problem solving. Childhood nutrition has a direct impact on immediate health and lifetime health; and

Whereas, student health has a direct impact on learning. Students with health issues miss instruction and have difficulties with focus; and

Whereas, there are increasing number of students entering school with chronic health conditions that require management during the school day; and

Whereas, all students would benefit from the services provided by a credentialed school nurse, such as preventive services, interventions, referrals to foster health and educational success, access to counseling and nutritious meals;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the California Federation of Teachers supports changing the California Education Code to ensure proper staffing for credentialed school nurses (1 full-time equivalent credentialed nurse per school or in the case of schools where there are more than 750 students a minimum of one credentialed school nurse per 750 students); and

Be it further resolved, that the CFT supports changing the California Education Code to ensure proper staffing for credentialed school counselors and the credentialed school counselor staffing ratios should be in alignment with the American School Counselor Association national model; and

Be it further resolved, that the CFT supports changing the California Education Code to ensure proper staffing to provide balanced nutritional meals for all students; and

Be it finally resolved, that the CFT will work with state Legislature to ensure districts receive the funding to make the above mentioned possible without negatively impacting students in other areas of their education.