Date: March 3, 2021
To: Chief School Administrators, Charter School and Renaissance School Project Leads, Administrators
of Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities
Route To: Principals, School Nurses, School Physicians
From: Peggy McDonald, Ed.D., Assistant Commissioner
Division of Student Services
Paul’s Law Requirements to Support Students with Seizure Disorders
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 12,000 children in New Jersey
have been diagnosed with epilepsy. In order to further prioritize the safety of children with epilepsy and
seizure disorders in New Jersey schools, the State Legislature passed and Governor Murphy signed Paul’s Law
(N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.34 through 12.38). Paul’s Law requires training for all current and new school staff on
epilepsy and seizure disorders and the inclusion of epilepsy and seizure disorders in individualized health
care plans for students.
Training for School Staff
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.35(d)1 and 2, district boards of education shall coordinate the provision of epilepsy
and seizure disorder care within district schools and ensure that all staff are trained in the care of students with
epilepsy and seizure disorders, including staff working with school-sponsored programs outside of the regular
school day. School district staff must complete one of the following New Jersey Department of Health approved
training courses:
• Seizure Training for School Personnel offered by the Epilepsy Foundation; or
• T.R.U.S.T. Seizure Recognition and First Aid offered by the Epilepsy Alliance of America.
Seizure Action Plans and Individualized Health Care & Emergency Health Care Plans
The parent or guardian of a student with epilepsy or a seizure disorder who seeks epilepsy or seizure disorder care
while at school shall annually submit to the school nurse the student’s seizure action plan. The school nurse shall
develop an individualized health care plan and an individualized emergency health care plan for the student, as
long as the student’s parent or guardian annually provides the board of education with written authorization for
the provision of epilepsy or seizure disorder care.
The individualized health care plan shall include the following components:
• Written orders from the student’s physician or advanced practice nurse outlining the epilepsy or seizure
disorder care;
• Symptoms of the epilepsy or seizure disorder for that student and recommendations for care;
• Full participation in exercise and sports, and any contraindications to exercise, or accommodations that must
be made for that student;
• Accommodations for school trips, after-school activities, class parties, and other school-related activities;
• Education of all school personnel about epilepsy and seizure disorders, how to recognize and provide care
for epilepsy and seizure disorders, and when to call for assistance;
• Medical and treatment issues that may affect the educational process of the student with epilepsy or the
seizure disorder;
• Student’s ability to manage, and the student’s level of understanding of the student’s epilepsy or seizure
disorder; and
• How to maintain communication with the student, the student’s parent or guardian and health care team,
the school nurse, and the educational staff.
The individualized emergency health care plan may include any of the above information and/or additional
information necessary to specify the delivery of healthcare accommodations and services in the event of an
emergency. Both the individualized health care plan and the individualized emergency health care plan shall be
updated by the school nurse annually and as necessary in the event of a change in the health status of the
student.
Information Sharing
The school nurse shall obtain a release from the parent or guardian of a student with epilepsy or a seizure
disorder to authorize the sharing of medical information between the student's physician or advanced practice
nurse and other health care providers. The release shall also authorize the school nurse to share medical
information with other staff members of the school district as necessary.
In the event that a school bus driver transports a student with epilepsy or a seizure disorder, the school district
shall provide the driver with a notice of the student’s condition, information on how to provide care for epilepsy
or the seizure disorder, emergency contact information, epilepsy and seizure disorder first aid training, and parent
contact information.
Contact information
School districts should contact the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Student Support Services with
questions regarding Paul’s Law by emailing HealthySc[email protected]v. For specific questions regarding the
training courses, please contact Yannai Kranzler at the New Jersey Department of Health by emailing
[email protected]j.gov.
c: Members, State Board of Education
Angelica Allen-McMillan, Ed.D., Acting Commissioner of Education
NJDOE Staff
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network
Garden State Coalition of Schools
NJ LEE Group
