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ISD 191 policy committee opts not to let students carry Narcan, keeps districtwide response
Summary
At a Sept. 16 policy review meeting, ISD 191 staff recommended no changes to Policy 516.5 on overdose medication; the committee agreed to leave district Narcan procedures in place and not allow students to carry naloxone at this time.
At a Sept. 16 meeting of the ISD 191 School Board Policy Review Committee, staff recommended no changes to Policy 516.5 (overdose medication), and the committee agreed to retain the district’s existing Narcan (naloxone) procedures rather than add language allowing students to carry naloxone. Amy, a district staff member and presenter, said, “There are no, changes that we are recommending. There was a piece in there that we've decided not to put in at this time regarding students being able to carry Narcan. We're hoping to wait to see what other districts decide and what their practices are around that piece. But we're confident that because we have Narcan throughout our school, we got a process set up. We're gonna stick with that process.”
The choice leaves current district-managed Narcan access and response protocols in place. A committee member asked whether athletic playing fields were included in the district’s implementation; Amy replied they are included and said the district has Narcan available around “the 80, devices or whatever,” and that deans and assistant principals (APs) are among staff present at athletic events. A brief interjection from another committee member noted that coaches are not currently trained to administer naloxone; Amy said she would double-check coverage and follow up with committee members if needed.
The committee did not record a formal vote on the policy change; Amy later indicated that the item could go on consent for the next board packet. The discussion was limited to implementation details and the district’s decision to monitor other districts’ practices before altering the policy to allow students to carry naloxone.
Why it matters: Retaining a district-controlled Narcan protocol determines who can access and administer naloxone on school property, and defers any decision about student possession to a future review once other districts’ experiences are assessed. The committee asked staff to confirm who at athletic events is trained and to update members if any coverage gaps exist.
