Florida state statute 381.0057 mandates school districts to provide health appraisals for the identification and management of actual or potential health problems which include but are not limited to nursing assessments, vision, hearing, scoliosis, and growth and development screenings. The purpose of the screenings are not to diagnose, but to separate those screened into two groups, those with no apparent problem and those who need further evaluation to determine if treatment is necessary. Screenings will be conducted within the first semester of the school year. Students enrolled in 1st, 3rd and 6th grades will be screened for growth and development (body mass index). Students in Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd and 6th grades will be screened for vision deficiencies; students in Kindergarten, 1st and 6th grades will be screened for hearing deficiencies; and 6th graders will also be screened for scoliosis.
The possible identification of deficiencies during the screenings will result in a referral letter to parents requesting further investigation by a licensed medical professional. It is the parents' responsibility to follow through on the referral process.
If the well being of the child is at stake, and if repeated contacts with the parent fail to produce a response, the case may be referred to a Charlotte County Public School Social Worker for review.
