Title 14 Education
800 Health and Safety
805 The School Health Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program
1.0 Definitions
“New School Enterer” means any child between the ages of one year and twenty one (21) years entering or being admitted to a Delaware public school for the first time, including but not limited to, foreign exchange students, immigrants, students from other states and territories, and children entering from nonpublic schools. For purposes of this regulation, “new school enterer” shall also include any child who is re enrolled in a Delaware public school following travel or residency of one month in a location or facility identified by the Delaware Division of Public Health as an area at risk for TB exposure.
“School Staff and Extended Services Personnel” means all persons hired as full or part time employees in a public school who are receiving compensation to work directly with students and staff. This includes, but is not limited to teachers, administrators, substitutes, contract employees, bus drivers and student teachers whether compensated or not.
“Tuberculosis Risk Assessment” means a formal assessment by a healthcare professional to determine possible tuberculosis exposure through the use of a health history or questionnaire.
“Verification” means a documented evaluation of the individual’s disease status.
“Volunteers” mean those persons who give their time to help others for no monetary reward and who share the same air space with public school students and staff on a regularly scheduled basis.
2.0 School Staff and Extended Services Personnel
2.1 School staff and extended services personnel shall provide the Mantoux tuberculin skin test results from a test administered within the past 12 months during the first 15 working days of employment.
2.1.1 Tuberculin skin test requirements may be waived for public school staff and extended services personnel who present a notarized statement that tuberculin skin testing is against their religious beliefs. In such cases, the individual shall complete the Delaware Department of Education TB Health Questionnaire for School Employees or provide, within two (2) weeks, verification from a licensed health care provider or the Division of Public Health that the individual does not pose a threat of transmitting tuberculosis to students or other staff.
2.1.1.1 If a school staff member or extended services person, who has received a waiver because of religious beliefs, answers affirmatively to any of the questions in the Delaware Department of Education TB Health Questionnaire for School Employees he/she shall provide, within two (2) weeks, verification from a licensed health care provider or the Division of Public Health that the individual does not pose a threat of transmitting tuberculosis to students or other staff.
2.1.2 Student teachers need not be retested if they move from district to district as part of their student teaching assignments.
2.2 Every fifth year, by October 15th, all public school staff and extended services personnel shall complete the Delaware Department of Education TB Health Questionnaire for School Employees or, within two (2) weeks, provide Mantoux tuberculin skin test results administered within the last twelve (12) months.
2.2.1 If a school staff member or extended services staff member answers affirmatively to any of the questions in the Delaware Department of Education TB Health Questionnaire for School Employees he/she shall provide, within two (2) weeks, verification from a licensed health care provider or the Division of Public Health that the individual does not pose a threat of transmitting tuberculosis to students or other staff.
2.3 All documentation related to the School Health Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program shall be retained in the same manner as other confidential personnel medical information.
3.0 Volunteers
3.1 Volunteers shall complete the Delaware Department of Education’s TB Health Questionnaire for Volunteers in Public Schools prior to their assignment and every fifth year thereafter.
3.1.1 If the volunteer answers affirmatively to any of the questions, he/she shall provide, within two (2) weeks, verification from a licensed health care provider or the Division of Public Health that the individual does not pose a threat of transmitting tuberculosis to the students or staff.
3.2 Each public school nurse shall collect and monitor all documentation related to the School Health Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program and store them in the school nurse’s office in a confidential manner.
4.0 New School Enterers
4.1 New school enterers shall show proof of tuberculin screening results as described in 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 including either results from the Mantoux Tuberculin test or the results of a tuberculosis risk assessment. Multipuncture skin tests will not be accepted.
4.1.1 If the new school enterer is in compliance with the other school entry health requirements, a school nurse who is trained in the use of the Delaware Department of Education TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire for Students may administer the questionnaire to the student’s parent(s), guardian(s) or Relative Caregiver or to a new school enterer who has reached the statutory age of majority (18).
4.1.1.1 If a student’s parent(s), guardian(s) or Relative Caregiver or a student 18 years or older answers affirmatively to any of the questions, he/she shall, within two (2) weeks, provide proof of Mantoux tuberculin skin test results or provide verification from a licensed health care provider or the Division of Public Health that the student does not pose a threat of transmitting tuberculosis to staff or other students.
4.2 School nurses shall record and maintain documentation relative to the School Health Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program.
5.0 Tuberculosis Status Verification and Follow up
5.1 Tuberculosis Status shall be determined through the use of a tuberculosis risk assessment, tuberculin skin test and other testing, which may include xray or sputum culture. Individuals who either refuse the tuberculin skin test or have positive reactions to the same, or give positive responses to a tuberculosis risk assessment shall provide verification from a licensed health care provider or the Division of Public Health that the individual does not pose a threat of transmitting tuberculosis to staff or other students.
5.1.1 Verification shall include Mantoux results recorded in millimeters (if test were administered), current disease status (i.e. contagious or noncontagious), current treatment (or completion of preventative treatment for TB) and date when the individual may return to his/her school assignment without posing a risk to the school setting.
5.1.2 Verification from a health care provider or Division of Public Health shall be required only once if treatment was completed successfully.
5.1.3 Updated information regarding disease status and treatment shall be provided to the public school by October 15 every fifth year if treatment was previously contraindicated, incomplete or unknown.
5.2 In the event an individual shows any signs or symptoms of active TB infection, he/she must be excluded from school until all required medical verification is received by the school.
1 DE Reg. 1971 (6/1/98)
3 DE Reg. 440 (9/1/99)
8 DE Reg. 1134 (2/1/05)
Non regulatory note: See 14 DE Admin. Code 930 Supportive Instruction (Homebound)
