Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Policies in K-12 Public Schools: National Data from the 2024 School Pulse Panel Survey

Abstract

School nurses are often looked to coordinate care for students with a concussions. School-based concussion return-to-school policies may help provide guidance to help school nurses navigate this process. Using data from the 2024 School Pulse Panel (a nationally representative sample of U.S. public school principals), the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of school-based concussion policies and their components (e.g., staff training, accommodations for students). Results from 1,683 respondents showed that most principals (75%) reported that their school had a concussion policy during the 2023–2024 school year. Of those with a concussion policy, 58% reported that their concussion policy included information on how to support students in the classroom and 29% responded that their concussion policy required training for staff on concussion. Dedicated efforts to promote comprehensive policies and standardization of best practices may be beneficial to promote uptake and limit inconsistencies in concussion management plans and practices.