Colorado State Mandated Health Screenings
VISION/HEARING/HEIGHT and WEIGHT
A students’ ability to see and to hear greatly impacts their ability to learn. Screenings for vision
or hearing problems are intended to facilitate early identification and diagnosis of disease and
functional disorders. Vision and hearing screenings are an appropriate and important part of
school health services, largely carried out by the school registered nurse, who will perform
comprehensive, educationally relevant, vision and hearing evaluations and make appropriate
medical, educational, and community referrals. The school nurse will interpret audiological and
vision assessment results to other school personnel and will assist in program placement as a
member of the educational team to make specific recommendations for visual, auditory and
communication needs. Each school shall make a record of all vision and hearing tests given
during the school year and record the individual results of each test on each child’s records. The
parents or guardian and educational team shall be informed in writing of a referral for further
professional evaluation and treatment when a deficiency is found. Parents or guardians are
strongly encouraged to pursue these referrals in a timely manner, particularly for students in
special education programs who may need more in-depth evaluation in order to determine
eligibility for special education and related services. Parents shall be advised of community
assistance programs when families experience barriers to care including financial, and
transportation concerns. The school registered nurse will determine if a Child Neglect
Complaint should be filed with Social Services when no further professional evaluation and
treatment has been completed within a timely manner despite contact with the parents or
guardians.
The success of any screening program ultimately depends upon securing the cooperation of
school personnel, the child, the parents, the health care practitioner, and other medical
providers who may be participating.
Colorado School Law C.R.S. 22-1-116 mandates that vision, hearing and height weight/body
mass index screenings be done each year for:
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All students in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th or all children new to the
school system.
All children referred by school personnel or parents.
All students in special education programs at the age at which they would be in
grades kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th and at initial and triennial.
Separate guidelines are available for children in the birth to five year age range.