Your child’s health is important to us. We want to work together to ensure that your child receives the best care possible while at school. Learn how you can help us care for your child, and about the diabetes services that schools provide.
How You Can Help
Diabetes Medication Administration Form
Have your child’s health care provider complete a Diabetes Medication Administration Form (DMAF) for your child every year:
- This form gives your school important information about your child’s diabetes, treatment, and symptoms. It also allows your child to have blood sugar levels checked, and take prescribed medicine (like insulin and glucagon) at school.
- A parent/guardian who signed the DMAF can make changes to insulin doses if/as prescribed on the DMAF Addendum. All changes must be within the range prescribed by your child’s provider and discussed with your school nurse.
- In order to comply with medical guidelines on diabetes issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED), the DMAF review process for students has been revised. The updated guidelines state that after the school physician reviews your child’s DMAF, any corrections or updates to their order will require a new DMAF to be submitted from your child’s health care provider. A school physician or nurse will be in contact with you and/or your health care provider if a new DMAF is needed.
If you have questions about your child’s DMAF, please contact the school nurse or 504 Coordinator at your child’s school.
To request a status update after submitting the DMAF to the Office of School Health (OSH), please contact the OSH DMAF hotline at 718-786-4933.
Bring your child’s prescribed medicine and equipment to school.
- Medicine must be labeled, unopened, and in its original container.
Participate in External Monitor Observations
As part of a recent settlement agreement, an External Monitor will observe a number of Section 504 Team meetings to see how the Section 504 process is going for DOE K-12 students with diabetes. The External Monitor will use his observations to give the DOE feedback on how it can improve the Section 504 process for students and their families. The External Monitor will only listen and observe, he will not be an active participant in the meeting.
Please complete this form if you consent to an External Monitor attending your child’s 504 Team Meeting and submit a copy to 504Questions@schools.nyc.gov.
DOE will keep consent forms on file until August 15, 2026, or through the end of the stipulation period. However, you may revoke consent at any time by contacting the Section 504 Coordinator at your child’s school.
Additional information about the settlement can be found on the Notice of Class Action Settlement section of this page.
Important Information for Healthcare Providers
In order to comply with recent guidance provided by New York State, the DMAF review process has been revised. After the school physician reviews, any corrections or updates to your patient’s medication order will require a resubmission of the corrected DMAF from you, the original prescribing physician. If we are unable to contact you, we will reach out to your patient’s parent/guardian.
Services We Provide
Medicine at School and Blood Sugar Level Checks
Your child will be able to take prescribed medicine at school after the MAF is approved. If needed, the school nurse or trained staff will help your child check blood sugar levels and take prescribed medicine.
Diabetes Care Plan & Diabetes 504 Plan
Your school nurse will work with you and your child’s health care provider to create a diabetes care plan. School staff members will be trained to recognize your child’s warning signs for low blood sugar. In the case of emergency low blood sugar, your child will immediately be given their prescribed glucagon by the school nurse or trained staff.
The school 504 Team will also develop a Diabetes 504 Plan with you (the parent/guardian) and the other members of the 504 Team, if your child requires accommodations in order to safely access school and other DOE programs or activities on an equal basis as their peers who do not have disabilities.
Diabetes: Interim Care Meeting
As soon as possible, and no later than 5 school days (unless additional time is necessary to accommodate a parent’s schedule) after DOE’s receipt of the DMAF, the school will convene a meeting with the parent, a school administrator, the 504 Coordinator, school nurse, and if possible Office of School Health member (e.g., Borough Nursing Director, Nursing Supervisor, Diabetes Team Member, health care provider), to discuss the student’s needs between when the DMAF is complete and ready to implement and when a final 504 Plan is signed and implemented, such as staff training on hypo- and hyperglycemia, blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration, and accommodations such as access to food and water during the school day.
Other Services
Schools offer other services in DOE programs and activities for students with special health needs, such as paraprofessionals and school transportation. Review the Health Services and 504 Accommodations webpages to learn about other services that may help your child and how to apply.
DOE program or activity means those sponsored by the DOE, including PA/PTA sponsored after-school programs or extracurricular activities in a DOE building. Parents who have questions or are concerned about their child’s access to a DOE or non-DOE extracurricular program may contact their school 504 Coordinator or principal, Health Director, or email 504Questions@schools.nyc.gov.
Parent Communications
If you have questions about services for your child, please reach out to the 504 Coordinator and/or Health Director for your child's school.
Find Out More
If you have additional questions about NYC DOE Section 504 policy and procedures, please contact Thea Lange, Section 504 Program Manager at 212-287-0354 or 504Questions@schools.nyc.gov.
If you have questions about diabetes related care in school, please contact the 504 Coordinator and or the Health Director for your child’s school. You can also read more about the health services in our schools.
Notice of Class Action Settlement
In 2018, the parents of three DOE students filed a lawsuit to ask for better care for students with diabetes in our public schools. The lawsuit is called M.F., et al. v. New York City Department of Education, et al., Civil No. 18-CV-6109.
All current and future DOE students with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who need diabetes-related care in school are part of the group, or “class,” of students who are represented in this legal case. These students are automatically part of the class, and there is nothing you need to do. Class Members will not receive money from, or owe money for, this case.
The following notices and Settlement Agreement do not apply to students who are not Class Members, such as those attending charter schools, private schools, or pre-school programs.
In April 2023, the Court approved the Settlement Agreement, which is expected to last until August 15, 2026.
This notice from November 2022 was to: inform Class Members that the Plaintiffs and the Defendants agreed to settle the case; and to provide information about the April 19, 2023 Court hearing where Class Members provided input on the proposed settlement.