School Nurse Hearing and Vision Newsletter: Screening Results

School vision and hearing screenings identify a significant number of students who have undiagnosed sensory issues affecting their ability to learn. A first-grader who consistently struggles to read from the board may have a refractive error, not a reading difficulty. A student who seems distracted in class may be mishearing instruction rather than not paying attention. The nurse newsletter on screenings is the communication that connects the test result to the appropriate next step for families who may not know what to do with a referral.

Explain When and Why Screenings Are Conducted

State the specific grades being screened this year and the month the screenings will occur. Explain briefly why regular screening matters: children often do not recognize or report vision and hearing difficulties because they have no comparison point for what normal sight or hearing should feel like. A child who has always had blurred distance vision assumes that is how everyone sees. Routine school screenings catch problems that might otherwise go unidentified for years.

Describe the Screening Procedures

The vision screening typically includes a visual acuity test using a letter or symbol chart at 20 feet (or the equivalent digital format), and may include a test for color vision deficiency in certain grades. The hearing screening uses an audiometer to present tones at different frequencies and volumes. Students respond by raising their hand or pressing a button when they hear the tone. The screening takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes per student and does not require any preparation from the student or family.

Clarify What the Screening Does Not Diagnose

School screenings are not comprehensive eye exams or full audiological evaluations. The vision screening checks for visual acuity at a specific distance and does not evaluate near vision, binocular vision, eye teaming, or ocular health. The hearing screening checks for responses to specific frequencies at standard thresholds and does not diagnose the cause of any hearing loss. A student who passes the school screening may still have visual or auditory processing issues that require further evaluation. A student who fails should see a specialist, not assume the screening was an error.

Explain How Results Are Communicated

Describe the communication process: families of students who pass will typically receive no notification, or a brief note that the student passed. Families of students who do not meet the screening criteria will receive a referral letter specifying whether the issue was vision, hearing, or both, and recommending follow-up evaluation. Include the expected timeline for results to reach families after screening day. If the district sends referral forms through the parent portal rather than paper notes, explain how to access them.

Template Excerpt: Hearing and Vision Referral Notice

Here is a referral letter section you can adapt:

"Your student did not pass our vision screening conducted on [DATE]. This is a referral recommendation, not a diagnosis. Please schedule an appointment with an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) within the next 30 days. Bring this letter to the appointment. Ask the provider to complete the enclosed follow-up form and return it to the school nurse at nurse@school.edu. If cost is a barrier, please contact the nurse's office for information about free and low-cost vision services in our area."

Address Follow-Up Return Requirements

Many states require that the result of a physician follow-up evaluation after a school referral be returned to the school nurse for documentation. Include the specific form families should bring to the physician appointment and the deadline for returning the completed form to the nurse. Note that without the follow-up documentation on file, the school cannot confirm that the referral was addressed and may be required to re-refer the student in subsequent years.

Provide Resources for Families With Cost Barriers

Eye exams, glasses, and audiological evaluations can be costly for families without comprehensive health insurance. Name specific resources in your area: state children's health insurance programs (CHIP), Lions Club International's free glasses programs, the InfantSEE program, or local community health centers with sliding-scale fees. A referral that ends in non-action because a family could not afford the follow-up appointment has failed the student. Including access resources in the referral letter significantly increases follow-up rates.

Close With the Make-Up Screening Process and Nurse Contact

End with the process for students who were absent on screening day: the nurse will re-screen absent students within two to four weeks of the scheduled date, or families can request a make-up appointment by contacting the nurse's office. Give the nurse's phone number and email. Include a sentence reminding families that the screening is free, takes less than 10 minutes, and could identify an issue that has been affecting their child's school experience without anyone knowing why.