# School Support Staff — Missouri K-12 Education Reference

```mermaid
graph TD
    A[School Support Staff] --> B[Paraprofessionals<br/>Instructional Aides]
    A --> C[School Nurses]
    A --> D[Transportation<br/>Bus Drivers]
    A --> E[Food Service]
    A --> F[Custodial &<br/>Maintenance]
    A --> G[Office / Clerical]
    A --> H[Technology Staff]
    A --> I[SROs]
    A --> J[Before/After<br/>School Programs]
    K[All Staff Requirements] --> L[Mandated Reporting<br/>RSMo 210.115]
    K --> M[Background Checks<br/>RSMo 168.133]
    K --> N[Annual Safety &<br/>Compliance Training]
```

## Table of Contents
1. Paraprofessionals / Instructional Aides
2. School Nurses
3. Transportation Staff (Bus Drivers)
4. Food Service Staff
5. Custodial & Maintenance Staff
6. Office / Clerical Staff
7. Technology Staff
8. School Resource Officers (SROs)
9. Before/After School Program Staff
10. All Staff: Mandated Reporting & Training

---

## 1. Paraprofessionals / Instructional Aides

### ESSA Requirements (Title I Schools)
Paraprofessionals working in Title I programs in an instructional support role must meet ONE of the following:
1. **60 semester hours** of college credit from an accredited institution, OR
2. **Associate's degree** (or higher), OR
3. Passing score on an approved **paraprofessional assessment** (e.g., ParaPro Assessment, state-approved equivalent)

### Roles
- Instructional support under teacher supervision (small group, one-on-one, reinforcement)
- Special education paraprofessionals (supporting students with IEPs)
- Title I instructional aides
- Library/media aides
- Computer lab aides

### Key Limitations
- Paraprofessionals may NOT serve as the teacher of record
- Must work under the direct supervision of a certified teacher
- May not introduce new content or concepts without teacher direction
- Special education paras must follow the IEP and work under the direction of the special education teacher

### Background Check
Required for all paraprofessionals (RSMo 168.133)

### Professional Development
- Districts should provide PD specific to paraprofessional roles
- Topics: behavior management, instructional strategies, disability awareness, de-escalation, confidentiality, mandated reporting

---

## 2. School Nurses

### Certification / Licensure
- **Registered Nurse (RN):** Missouri Board of Nursing licensure required; preferred for school nurse role
- **Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN):** may serve under RN supervision in many districts
- **DESE School Nurse Certificate:** optional but recommended; requires RN licensure + additional school nursing coursework
- **National certification:** NBCSN (National Board Certification in School Nursing) through NASN

### Responsibilities
- Health assessments and screenings (vision, hearing, scoliosis, BMI)
- Medication administration and management
- Emergency care and first aid
- Individualized Healthcare Plans (IHPs) for students with chronic conditions
- Immunization compliance monitoring (RSMo 167.181)
- Health education consultation
- Communicable disease management
- Delegation and training of unlicensed personnel for specific health tasks (e.g., diabetes management, seizure response)

### Medication Administration
- Written parent/guardian authorization AND physician order required
- Medications must be in original pharmacy-labeled containers
- School must maintain a medication administration log
- Self-carry/self-administer policies for rescue inhalers and EpiPens (RSMo 167.627) and insulin (RSMo 167.621)

### Student-to-Nurse Ratios (Recommended)
- NASN recommends 1:750 for the general student population
- Lower ratios for schools serving students with complex health needs
- Many Missouri districts, particularly rural ones, exceed these ratios significantly

### Immunization Requirements (RSMo 167.181)
Missouri requires immunizations for school attendance. Current schedule includes: DTaP, IPV, MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella. Students without documented immunizations must be excluded unless they have a medical or religious exemption on file.

---

## 3. Transportation Staff (Bus Drivers)

### Requirements
- **Commercial Driver's License (CDL)** with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements
- **Background check:** FBI fingerprint + Missouri Highway Patrol (RSMo 168.133)
- **Physical examination:** DOT medical card (renewed every 2 years)
- **Drug and alcohol testing:** pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident (per DOT/FMCSA regulations)
- **Training:** annual district-provided safety training (emergency procedures, student management, defensive driving, special needs awareness)

### Key Policies
- Maximum driving hours per DOT regulations
- Pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections required
- Student head count on boarding and exiting
- Child check (post-trip sweep) after every route to ensure no students remain on the bus
- Reporting accidents and incidents to administration immediately
- Bus discipline reports forwarded to building administration

### Special Transportation (IEP)
- IEP teams may include specialized transportation as a related service
- May include wheelchair-accessible vehicles, aide on the bus, modified routes, harness/restraint systems
- District is responsible for providing transportation specified in the IEP

---

## 4. Food Service Staff

### Federal Programs
- **National School Lunch Program (NSLP)** and **School Breakfast Program (SBP):** administered by USDA through Missouri DESE's School Food Services section
- **Community Eligibility Provision (CEP):** high-poverty schools may provide free meals to ALL students without individual applications (if ≥40% identified students)
- **Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program:** supplemental program for selected elementary schools

### Staff Requirements
- Food handler training/certification (per local health department requirements)
- USDA professional standards for school nutrition professionals (training hours based on role)
- Background check (RSMo 168.133)

### Key Compliance
- USDA meal pattern requirements (whole grains, fruits/vegetables, protein, milk, sodium/fat limits)
- Free and Reduced Price Meal (FRPM) applications and income verification
- Accurate meal counting and claiming for federal reimbursement
- Food safety (HACCP-based procedures)
- Accommodation of food allergies and special dietary needs (with physician documentation)

---

## 5. Custodial & Maintenance Staff

### Requirements
- Background check (RSMo 168.133)
- Training in: hazardous materials handling (OSHA), blood-borne pathogens, fire safety, building security procedures
- Asbestos awareness training (if building contains asbestos materials — AHERA compliance)

### Key Responsibilities
- Building cleanliness and sanitation
- Emergency response (spills, facility damage, weather-related)
- Security (lock/unlock procedures, alarm systems, key management)
- Maintenance of HVAC, plumbing, electrical systems (or coordination with contractors)
- ADA accessibility maintenance (elevators, ramps, door hardware)
- Indoor air quality monitoring

---

## 6. Office / Clerical Staff

### Requirements
- Background check (RSMo 168.133)
- Training in: FERPA (student records confidentiality), HIPAA (if handling health information), emergency procedures, attendance reporting, visitor management

### Responsibilities
- Student enrollment and records management
- Attendance tracking and reporting
- Communication hub (phone, email, visitor reception)
- MOSIS/Core Data entry support
- Financial transactions (fees, fundraising, petty cash)
- Mail, supplies, inventory management
- Emergency communication and coordination support

---

## 7. Technology Staff

### Roles
- Technology coordinator / IT director (district level)
- Building-level tech support
- Network administrators
- Student data system administrators (SIS, LMS)

### Key Compliance Areas
- **CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act):** districts receiving E-Rate must implement internet filtering and internet safety policies
- **FERPA:** protecting student data in all technology systems
- **Data security:** encryption, access controls, backups, incident response
- **Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs):** required for students and staff
- **Student data privacy agreements:** vendor contracts must comply with FERPA and Missouri's student data privacy provisions (RSMo 161.096)

### E-Rate
Federal program that subsidizes internet connectivity and telecommunications for schools:
- Category 1: Internet access and data transport
- Category 2: Internal networking equipment (switches, Wi-Fi, cabling)
- Discount rates based on poverty level (20-90%)
- Requires CIPA compliance and competitive bidding

---

## 8. School Resource Officers (SROs)

### MOU Requirements
- ESSA requires districts using COPS grant-funded SROs to have a written MOU
- Best practice: ALL SRO programs should have an MOU defining roles, authority, and limitations

### MOU Should Address
- SRO role (law enforcement, informal counselor/mentor, educator on legal topics)
- Scope of authority on school grounds
- Student interview protocols (rights, parent notification)
- Arrest procedures on school property
- Distinction between criminal behavior and routine student discipline
- Data sharing between school and law enforcement
- Training requirements (adolescent development, implicit bias, trauma-informed approaches, de-escalation)
- Complaint process

### Key Principles
- SROs should not be involved in routine school discipline matters
- SROs should not be used to enforce school attendance or dress code
- Student Miranda rights apply if SRO is conducting a criminal investigation
- School administrators conducting administrative searches are held to a lower standard (reasonable suspicion) than law enforcement (probable cause)

---

## 9. Before/After School Program Staff

### 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)
Federal grant program providing before/after school enrichment:
- Academic support (tutoring, homework help)
- Enrichment activities (STEM, arts, physical activity, social-emotional learning)
- Family engagement programming
- Operates during non-school hours, weekends, and summer

### Staff Requirements
- Background checks (RSMo 168.133)
- Training in: child supervision, emergency procedures, behavior management, mandated reporting
- Licensed childcare requirements may apply if program serves younger children (Missouri DHSS childcare licensing)

---

## 10. All Staff: Mandated Reporting & Training

### Mandated Reporter Status (RSMo 210.115)
**ALL school employees** (teachers, administrators, paras, bus drivers, custodians, food service, office staff, coaches, volunteers with regular contact) are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect.

### Reporting Obligations
- Report suspected abuse or neglect **immediately** to the Children's Division hotline: **1-800-392-3738**
- No internal reporting hierarchy required — any employee may (and should) report directly to the hotline
- Reporter's identity is confidential (RSMo 210.150)
- Immunity from liability for good-faith reports (RSMo 210.135)
- **Failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor** (RSMo 210.165)

### Types of Reportable Abuse/Neglect
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect (failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, supervision)
- Educational neglect (habitual truancy without parental effort)

### Required Training for All Staff
| Topic | Basis | Frequency |
|-------|-------|-----------|
| Mandated reporting | RSMo 210.115 | Annual (recommended) |
| Bloodborne pathogens | OSHA | Annual |
| Emergency procedures (fire, weather, lockdown) | RSMo 160.660 | Annual |
| Suicide prevention awareness | RSMo 170.048 | As required by district |
| Sexual harassment prevention | Title IX | As required by district |
| FERPA / student confidentiality | 20 U.S.C. §1232g | At hire + periodic refresher |