GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1985 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1017

SENATE BILL 293

 

AN ACT TO REQUIRE HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by inserting a new Article to read:

"Article 17.

"Health Assessments for Kindergarten Children in the Public Schools.

"§ 130A-423. Health assessment required.-(a)  Every child in this State entering kindergarten in the public schools shall receive a health assessment. The health assessment shall be made between the first of January prior to school entry and the 31st of December after school entry.

(b)       A health assessment shall include a medical history and physical examination with screening for vision and hearing and, if appropriate, testing for anemia and tuberculosis. The health assessment may also include developmental screening which may include cognition, language, and motor function.

(c)       The health assessment shall be conducted by a physician licensed to practice medicine, a certified nurse practitioner, or a public health nurse meeting the North Carolina Division of Health Services' Standards for Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Screening.

(d)       This Article shall not apply to children entering kindergarten in private church schools, schools of religious charter, or qualified nonpublic schools, regulated by Article 39 of Chapter 115 of the General Statutes.

"§ 130A-424. Reporting.-Health assessment results shall be submitted to the school principal by the medical provider on forms developed by the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Public Instruction.

(a)       Each school having a kindergarten shall maintain on file the health assessment results. The files shall be open to inspection by the Department of Human Resources, the Department of Public Instruction or their authorized representatives and persons inspecting the files shall maintain the confidentiality of the files. Upon transfer of a child to another kindergarten, a copy of the health assessment results shall be provided upon request and without charge to the new kindergarten.

(b)       Within 90 days after the commencement of a new school year, the principal shall file a health assessment status report with the Department of Public Instruction on forms developed by the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Public Instruction. The report shall document the number of children in compliance and not in compliance with G.S. 130A-423(a).

"§ 130A-425. Religious exemption.-If the bona fide religious beliefs of the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a child are contrary to the health assessment requirements contained in this Article, this Article shall not apply to the child. Upon submission of a written statement of the bona fide religious beliefs and opposition to the health assessment requirements, the child may attend kindergarten without submitting a health assessment report.

"§ 130A-426. Rules.-Rules governing the contents for health assessment reports, the procedure for reporting under this Article, and those persons authorized to inspect the files shall be developed jointly by the Department of Public Instruction and the Commission for Health Services and shall be adopted by the Commission for Health Services."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1987.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 15th day of July, 1986.