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HARRISBURG, PA (March 24, 2026) — PSEA President Aaron Chapin commended the Pennsylvania House Education Committee today for advancing two bills that will modernize health and counseling services in our public schools.
“Right now, too many of our school nurses and counselors are being asked to do more with less,” Chapin said. “Caseloads are growing, student needs are more complex than ever, and staffing levels simply haven’t kept up. These bills are a step toward changing that, so that our nurses and counselors can focus on giving students the time, attention, and care they deserve.”
Improving nurse-to-student ratios
House Bill 2285, introduced by Rep. Lisa Borowski, would increase state-funded school health reimbursement to keep better pace with rising health care costs and improve school nurse staffing ratios.
Under current law, schools are required to have one nurse for every 1,500 students. This legislation would require one nurse for every 750 students and ensure that there is a school nurse in every building.
“Children’s health needs have changed dramatically over the last 60 years,” Chapin said. “School nurses today have larger caseloads of students with increasingly complex conditions and needs.
“Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than 40% of school-aged children in the United States have at least one chronic health condition, such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity, or food allergies. School nurses provide more than Band-Aids and ice packs, and they are needed in every building.”
Comprehensive school counseling plan
House Bill 2218, introduced by Rep. Mandy Steele, would require school entities to develop a written, public-facing plan for their K-12 school counseling program and to set guidelines ensuring a majority of a school counselor’s work time is dedicated to delivering services to students.
“This bill recognizes the critical role school counselors play in our students’ lives,” Chapin said. “Too often school counselors are overwhelmed with responsibilities, such as test administration, that do not directly support student mental and emotional health or academic success. This bill would ensure that school counselors are fully available to help students succeed in school and beyond.”
Chapin is a Stroudsburg Area middle school teacher and president of PSEA. An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees, student teachers, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.
