2025-2026 NASN School Nurse Workforce Study

Data collection for the 2025–2026 NASN School Nurse Workforce Study is complete.

More than 5,000 school nurses responded to the survey, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

NASN is now analyzing the data to develop a clearer national picture of the school nurse workforce.

The survey was open to both NASN members and nonmembers who:

  • Held an active nursing license; and
  • Provided school nursing services in a school setting.

Why and What

Why This Study Matters

Reliable national workforce data are needed to inform:

  • Workforce development
  • Recruitment and retention strategies
  • Policy priorities
  • Resource allocation
  • Funding and investment in school health
  • Support for the school nurses serving students and school communities 

What the Study Examines

The 2025–2026 NASN School Nurse Workforce Study was designed to strengthen understanding of:

  • Who makes up the school nurse workforce, including professional roles, licensure, education, certification, and experience
  • Models of school nursing practice and the delivery of care
  • Workload, responsibilities, available support, and school funding conditions
  • Workforce experiences and challenges, including burnout
  • Factors associated with school nurses’ intent to leave school nursing for reasons other than retirement

Study Information

The Advarra Institutional Review Board approved this study under an exempt category of review, protocol number Pro00089462.

Questions about the study?
Contact: [Alexandria Albers, PhD, MPH, MS, NASN Research Fellow aalbers@nasn.org]

An Early Look at Survey Participation

In the video below, Developing the 2025-2026 National Workforce Survey: With School Nurses, for School Nurses, NASN Research Fellow Alexandria Albers explains how the survey was developed and tested, provides an early look at the survey respondents, and outlines the next phases of analysis and dissemination in this presentation.

Important: Information presented in the video describes the people who responded to the survey. It should not yet be interpreted as nationally representative findings about the entire school nurse workforce. National analyses and additional findings will be shared as the research is completed.

View the image in the video below.

View or print transcript.

How the 2025–2026 Workforce Survey Was Developed

A Rigorous Development Process

The survey was developed through a structured process intended to improve its relevance, clarity, and validity.

  1. Defining the study outcomes and research questions
    NASN identified the workforce characteristics, models of practice, burnout, and retention questions that the study needed to address.
  2. Reviewing existing workforce research
    The research team examined prior national school nurse workforce studies and relevant state-level workforce data to identify existing measures, continuing questions, and gaps in knowledge.
  3. Engaging school nurses
    Previously and currently practicing school nurses helped refine the research priorities and survey content.
  4. Conducting pilot testing
    School nurses reviewed the overall survey-taking experience, including its flow, content, and question clarity. Their feedback resulted in revisions to the survey.
  5. Conducting cognitive interviews
    Practicing school nurses talked through how they interpreted and answered survey questions. This allowed the research team to identify and correct potential problems with wording, comprehension, and response options.
  6. Completing a final pilot
    A final group of school nurses tested the revised survey before its national launch.

What Happens Next

NASN is completing the full analysis and developing resources that will help translate the findings into action.

The next phase of the study includes:

  • Developing a national picture of the school nurse workforce
  • Characterizing models of school nursing practice
  • Examining workforce strengths and challenges
  • Analyzing burnout and factors associated with intent to leave school nursing
  • Engaging states and school nurses in interpreting the findings
  • Translating the results into useful research, policy, workforce, and practice resources
  • Refining a repeatable survey approach to monitor workforce trends over time

NASN will add reports, research articles, infographics, state resources, and other findings to this page as they become available.

Page last updated September 2026.