AUSTIN, Texas — Austin ISD plans to phase out its school nurse contract with Ascension Seton Medical Center and shift toward hiring its own in-house nurses, according to a report from KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
According to the report, district officials have said they're ending the almost 30-year contract because they want more control over hiring and pay for nurses.
In May, Austin ISD approved two new contracts for nurses: a $6.2 million one with Seton and a $1.7 million one with EDU Healthcare. The Seton contract will staff about 90 employees at elementary schools and the Rosedale School, while the EDU Healthcare contract will staff 22 employees at middle schools.
Alana Bejarano, Austin ISD's interim executive director of health services and nursing, told the Statesman that in its first step toward building an in-house nurse program, the district plans to hire 14 registered nurses and 14 health room assistants for the high schools.
Bejarano said nurses employed directly by Austin ISD would get districtwide pay raises and would fall under direct supervision of their school principal.
Bajarano also told the Statesman that Austin ISD didn't have any issues with Seton and wants to keep working with the hospital.
To learn more, read the Statesman's full report.