Huntington Beach School Lice Policy

The Huntington Beach school district maintains a strict "no nit" policy. Children with head lice and nits are not allowed in school. It is important for you to check with your children's school to be sure that your child is ready to return to school. This head lice policy is relatively strict compared to other school districts across the country that are moving toward less stringent guidelines and allowing kids with some nits back into school after they have been treated. Follows is the lice policy for Huntington Beach Schools:

"The Board of Trustees believes that the District's head lice management program should emphasize the correct diagnosis and treatment of head lice in order to minimize disruption of the education process and to reduce the number of student absences resulting from infestation. In consultation with the school nurse, the Superintendent or designee may establish a routine screening program to help prevent the spread of head lice.

School employees shall report all suspected cases of head lice to the school nurse or designee as soon as possible. The nurse or designee shall examine the student and other students who are siblings of the affected student or members of the same household.

If a student is found with active, adult head lice, he/she shall be excluded from attendance. The parent/guardian of an excluded student shall receive information about recommended treatment procedures and sources of further information. The student shall be allowed to return to school the next day and shall be checked by the nurse or designee before returning to class. Once he/she is determined to be free of lice, the student shall be rechecked weekly for up to six weeks.

The Superintendent or designee shall send home the notification required by law for excluded students.The principal and school nurse shall work with the parents/guardians of any student who has been deemed to be a chronic head lice case in order to help minimize the student's absences from school.

When two or more students in any class have been identified as having a head lice infestation, all students in the class shall be examined. In consultation with the school nurse, the principal may also send information about head lice home to all parents/guardians of the students in that class. Staff shall maintain the privacy of students identified as having head lice and excluded from attendance." Source OVSD Board Policy