Type 1 diabetes at school in South Carolina
What South Carolina law and the state’s own guidance say about insulin, glucagon, supplies and phones at school, with each source quoted. Checked 2026-10-06.
| Insulin by trained staff | No |
| Glucagon by trained staff | With limits |
| Self-carry | Yes |
| State plan or guidelines | No source found |
| Phone for the CGM | Yes |
Can trained school staff give insulin?
No
The State Board of Nursing's Advisory Opinion #52 says unlicensed school personnel may not be trained to give any form of insulin. (llr.sc.gov (PDF))
Can trained school staff give glucagon?
With limits
The State Board of Nursing's Advisory Opinion #50 lets the school nurse train unlicensed school personnel to give medications a student may need in a medical emergency when a licensed nurse is not readily available. The opinion does not name glucagon. (llr.sc.gov (PDF))
The American Diabetes Association’s South Carolina page reads this differently: ADA answers yes, based on the Nurse Practice Act's emergency exception; this entry counts the emergency-only, nurse-not-available limit as partial.
Can a student carry supplies and manage diabetes at school?
Yes
District policy must let a student with written parent and health care practitioner authorization self-monitor, self-administer medication, and carry medication in the classroom, anywhere on school grounds, and at school activities (S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-80). (scstatehouse.gov)
Does the state publish a diabetes care plan form or guidelines?
No source found
S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-80 requires individual health care plans for students with special health care needs, but no state Department of Education or Department of Public Health diabetes plan form or school diabetes guideline was found. We found no statute or state agency page that answers this for South Carolina. Ask the school nurse or the state Department of Education, and see the American Diabetes Association’s South Carolina page.
Can a student keep a phone for the CGM in class?
Yes
The State Board of Education model policy on personal electronic devices lets a student use a device for medically necessary purposes when the student's IEP, Medical Plan, or 504 plan explicitly requires it. (ed.sc.gov)
Also in South Carolina
A student's self-monitoring and self-administration permission under S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-80 must be renewed each school year. (scstatehouse.gov)
Federal law applies in every state
Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act can cover a student with diabetes at a public school in every state, whatever the state law says; a 504 plan is where the student’s care at school is written down. The federal rules, with sources.
Sources, quoted
- llr.sc.gov (PDF): “Unlicensed school personnel may not be trained to give routinely scheduled injectable medications, insert medications rectally or vaginally, or to give any form of insulin.”
- llr.sc.gov (PDF): “may select, train, determine competency and evaluate unlicensed school personnel in the provision of treatments and administration of medications that may be required to meet a specific student's needs in the event that a medical emergency occurs when a licensed nurse is not readily available.”
- scstatehouse.gov: “Additionally, the plan must provide for the authorization of a student to self-monitor and self-administer medication as prescribed by the student's health care provider unless there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others.”
- scstatehouse.gov: “(2) authorization for a student to possess on his person and administer medication while: (a) in the classroom and in any area of the school or school grounds; (b) at a school-sponsored activity;”
- ed.sc.gov: “If explicitly required by a student's IEP, Medical Plan, or 504 plan, the student shall be allowed to access their personal electronic device for medically or educationally necessary purposes described and required for administration of the IEP, Medical Plan or 504 plan.”
- scstatehouse.gov: “(G) The permission for self-monitoring or self-administration of medication is effective for the school year in which it is granted and must be renewed each school year upon fulfilling the requirements of this section.”
Legal information, not legal advice. Laws change; the source page is the authority when it differs, and this page is rechecked each July. For help with a school, the American Diabetes Association’s legal advocates answer at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).