School nurses not OK with AEA decision to cut vision screening

I had a call from Julie McBride this morning. McBride is the Tipton school district nurse. She said she was surprised that an article I wrote regarding Grant Wood AEA's decision to discontinue K-6 vision screenings said the agency hadn't received complaints regarding the change on policy.

It's true. Grant Wood spokesman George Held said he wasn't aware of any complaints. Until that phone call, I hadn't heard any either.

We were wrong.

I've stopped counting how many nurses have called to tell me they've voiced their concerns over Grant Wood's decision to limit vision screenings to kindergarten, kindergarten roundup, and early childhood special education students.

They expressed concern in 2008, when cutting services was mentioned as a cost-saving method. They voiced concern when the idea gathered steam last year. The expressed displeasure with the decision to cut vision screening services for the 2009-10 school year.

“I'm worried kids will go for years without a vision check.” said Nancy Alderdyce, district nurse for Marion schools.

Some districts have managed to offset the loss in services by relying on local doctors, but not all districts have that option. Numerous school nurses have told me that studies have shown that 80 percent of student learning is visual. If students have trouble seeing, they will fall behind in learning.

Many of the nurses have told me that young children aren't even aware they have a vision problem. This is how they see, this is how they've always seen. How are they supposed to know it's a problem?

Vision screenings identify what children can't.

"This is something that is addressed at the beginning of the year through a screening," said K O'Brien with the Springville school district. "It's an easy fix if there's a problem."

Or it was.

Every nurse I've talked with today said they understand the need to cut the budget. They work in schools. They know money is tight. They understand the financial struggle. But they wish students weren't the ones who will suffer because of this decision.

I'm updating the story that originally appeared online for tomorrow's paper. It will include the concerns shared with me by Eastern Iowa school nurses -- one of whom is calling me right now.

UPDATE: There is no room in the paper for the story to run Friday. It is now slated to for publication Saturday. I will post the story on this blog tomorrow morning.