If you are in danger, call 911. If you need to exit this website quickly, click on the ESCAPE button. This button will immediately open a browser window for weather.com and replace your current window with google.com.
Skip to agency navigation
Skip to main content

Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    ​​Documentation/Health Records

    Maintaining a comprehensive health record for each student is the responsibility of the Certified School Nurse. Documentation according to current nurse practice and medical standards is the responsibility of all medical professionals.

    Pennsylvania Law and Regulations Pertaining to Student Health Records

    1. Pennsylvania Public School Code
      • Section 1402(b) Health Services
      • Section 1409. Confidentiality, Transference and Removal of Health Records
    2. School Health Regulations, 28 PA Code, Chapter 23 School Health
      • Section 23.8 Maintenance of medical and dental records
      • Section 23.55 Maintenance of health records
      • Section 23.72 Maintenance of records

    There has been concern from healthcare providers in providing information to schools without parent/guardian permission. Healthcare providers function under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) while schools function primarily under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services published Joint Guidance on the Application of FERPA and HIPAA to Student Records. This guidance explains the relationship between FERPA and HIPAA and addresses the confusion on how these two laws apply to student records.

    Parents' Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): Rights Regarding Children's Education Records
    FERPA is a federal privacy law that gives parents/guardians certain protections with regard to their children's education records. This publication, from the U.S. Department of Education, provides information regarding those rights.​​

    NOTE: This webpage contains resources, including links to websites created by outside organizations. These resources are provided for convenience and do not constitute an endorsement by the Pennsylvania Department of Health of any viewpoints, products, or services offered or expressed within.