Arkansas § 6-18-701 - Physical examinations — Individualized healthcare plans.

§ 6-18-701. Physical examinations — Individualized healthcare plans.

The board of directors of a school district may appoint and provide for the payment of at least one (1) physician or nurse and assign the physician or nurse to the public schools of the district for the purpose of making physical examinations of the public school students as may be prescribed in the rules of the State Board of Education. The nature of the examination shall be only to detect contagious or infectious diseases or any defect of sight, hearing, or function or condition of health that may prevent a pupil from receiving the full benefit of school work. The physician or nurse appointed under subsection (a) of this section shall make examinations for contagious or infectious disease, including without limitation the teeth and mouth, whenever the examination may be deemed necessary and make examination for other defects at least one (1) time in each school year, preferably at or near the beginning of the year. In a city, town, or county where the health authorities provide for the physical examination of public school students as provided in this section, the examination may not be made by any school physician or school nurse. A public school student may be excused from the examination under this section on presentation of a certificate from a reputable physician that the physician has recently examined the public school student or on presentation of a written statement of the public school student's parent or guardian that the parent or guardian objects to the examination of his or her child or ward. However, subdivision (e)(1) of this section does not apply in the case of a public school student suspected of having a contagious or infectious disease. A public school student with special healthcare needs, including without limitation a student who has a chronic illness, is considered medically fragile, or who is dependent on technology, shall have an individualized healthcare plan that is developed in collaboration with the school nurse. An invasive medical procedure required by the public school student and provided at the public school shall be performed by trained and licensed, licensed healthcare provider who is licensed to perform the task under § 17-87-102(10)(D) or other professional licensure statutes, unless otherwise permissible under § 17-87-103(10) and (11). A regular classroom teacher shall not perform tasks under subdivision (f)(2) of this section, except as otherwise permissible under § 6-18-711(c). Custodial healthcare services required by a public school student under an individualized healthcare plan shall be provided by trained school employees other than the regular classroom teacher.