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Schools Fail Concussion Support for Students
24 Jul
Summary
- A quarter of public schools lack any concussion policy.
- Schools with policies often fail to train staff adequately.
- School nurses bear significant responsibility for concussion care.
A recent study indicates that numerous U.S. schools are unprepared to assist students recovering from concussions. Analysis of data from the 2024 School Pulse Panel revealed that 75% of public schools had a concussion policy in place during the 2023-2024 school year. However, of these, only 58% included provisions for classroom accommodations and support for recovering students. Furthermore, merely 29% of schools with policies mandated staff training on concussion management.
This lack of preparedness places additional pressure on school nurses. Researchers suggest that limited resources, staffing shortages, and competing priorities may contribute to these deficiencies. Schools serving higher-poverty communities, with larger nonwhite student populations, or smaller schools were less likely to have concussion policies. The Brain Injury Association of America emphasizes that school nurses are central to concussion management, often carrying a significant share of the responsibility for educating staff and coordinating care.
