School personnel may not administer prescription or nonprescription medications to students unless appropriate administration cannot reasonably be accomplished outside of school hours.
Medication may be administered to students by school personnel whom a registered nurse has trained and delegated the task of administering such medication. For purposes of this policy, the term “medication” includes both prescription medication and nonprescription medication, but does not include medical marijuana.
Student possession, use, distribution, sale, or being under the influence of medication inconsistent with this policy will be considered a violation of Board policy concerning drug and alcohol involvement by students and may subject the student to disciplinary consequences, including suspension and/or expulsion, in accordance with applicable Board policy.
The administration of medical marijuana must be in accordance with the Board’s policy on administration of medical marijuana to qualified students.
The term “nonprescription medication” includes but is not limited to over-the-counter medications, homeopathic and herbal medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements.
Medication may be administered to students only when the following requirements are met:
- Medication must be in the original properly labeled container. If it is a prescription medication, the student’s name, name of the medication, dosage, how often it is to be administered, and name of the prescribing health care practitioner must be printed on the container.
- The school must have received written permission from the student’s parent/guardian to administer the medication to the student and either:
a. Written permission to administer the medication from the student’s health care practitioner with prescriptive authority under Colorado law; or
b. A standing medical order, if the medication is an over-the-counter medication such as Advil or Tylenol.
- The parent/guardian is responsible for providing all medication to be administered to the student, unless it is an over-the-counter medication such as Advil or Tylenol.
- The nonprescription medication is a product that has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Self-Administration of Medication
A student who is prescribed medication by a licensed health care practitioner may possess and self-administer medication to treat the student’s asthma, food or other allergy, anaphylaxis or related, life-threatening condition, or other condition for which the medication is prescribed. Self-administration of such medication may occur during school hours, at school-sponsored activities, or while in transit to and from school or a school-sponsored activity. Student possession and self-administration of such medication must be in accordance with the regulation accompanying this policy.
Authorization for a student to possess and self-administer medication, for the purposes described above, may be limited or revoked by the school principal after consultation with the school nurse and the student’s parent/guardian if the student demonstrates an inability to responsibly possess and self-administer such medication.
Revised: September 2018
Revised: August 2020
Revised: August 2021
Revised: August 2025
LEGAL REFS.: C.R.S. 12-38-132 (delegation of nursing tasks)
C.R.S. 12-38-132.3 (school nurses – over-the-counter medication)
C.R.S. 22-1-119 (no liability for adverse drug reactions/side effects)
C.R.S. 22-1-119.1 (Board may adopt policy to acquire a stock supply of opioid antagonists)
C.R.S. 22-1-119.3 (3)(c), (d) (no student possession or self-administration of medical marijuana, but school districts must permit the student’s primary caregiver to administer medical marijuana to the student on school grounds, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event)
C.R.S. 22-1-119.5 (Colorado Schoolchildren’s Asthma, Food Allergy, and Anaphylaxis Health Management Act)
C.R.S. 22-2-135 (Colorado School Children’s Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act)
C.R.S. 24-10-101 et seq. (Colorado Governmental Immunity Act)
1 CCR 301-68 (State Board of Education rules regarding student possession and administration of asthma, allergy and anaphylaxis management medications or other prescription medications)
6 CCR 1010-6, Rule 6.13 (requirements for health services in schools)
CROSS REFS.: JICH, Drug and Alcohol Involvement by Students
JKD/JKE, Suspension/Expulsion of Students (and Other Disciplinary Interventions)
JLCDA*, Students with Food Allergies
JLCDB*, Administration of Medical Marijuana to Qualified Students
JLCE, First Aid and Emergency Medical Care
Lake County School District R-1, Leadville, Colorado