AB 815 – Revises The Current Credentialing Requirements For School Nurses

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Current law establishes the minimum requirements for a service credential with a specialization in health for a school nurse. Existing requirements include a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited institution for a preliminary credential and, for a professional credential, an additional year of coursework beyond a baccalaureate degree in a program approved by the commission.

This bill revises the requirement that the baccalaureate or higher degree be from an accredited institution and will now require that it be from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The bill adds a provision to Section 44267.5 of the Education Code allowing the commission to approve a program offered by a local educational agency, which had 40,000 or more pupils enrolled during the 2019-20 school year, for one year of coursework beyond the baccalaureate degree.

(AB 815 amends Section 44267.5 of the Education Code.)