Partnering with Staffing Agencies for School-Based Healthcare

Schools require a diverse mix of healthcare industry professionals, including nurses, speech pathologists, physical therapists, and mental health staff, to support their students' learning, development, and overall well-being. However, hiring these professionals is one of the most challenging administrative tasks in education today.

Many districts lack the time, expertise, and resources necessary to recruit and retain qualified workers. In fact, only 65.7% of U.S. schools have a full-time nurse on staff, according to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). Vacant positions often remain open for weeks or months, leaving students without essential care for extended periods.

Partnering with a specialized staffing agency, such as GHR Education, is a game-changer for schools struggling to fill critical healthcare system roles. Instead of shouldering the complex, time-consuming burden of recruiting, credentialing, and onboarding on their own, administrators gain a trusted partner with deep expertise in both education and healthcare staffing.

The result: faster hires, better-qualified candidates, and stronger student outcomes.

Challenges in School Healthcare Staffing

Several factors contribute to the growing shortage of healthcare professionals in schools. While high supply and low demand play significant roles, schools also face operational, financial, and regulatory hurdles that affect the efficiency of in-house hiring.

Challenge	What It Means	Impact on Schools
Clinician Shortages	Schools compete for a small pool of qualified healthcare professionals while facing limited budgets and stricter credentialing requirements.	Students may go without vital healthcare services, risking compliance with IEPs or care plans.
Temporary & Part-Time Roles	Many districts rely on part-time or itinerant clinicians to fill staffing gaps when full-time roles aren’t possible.	Inconsistent coverage disrupts therapy sessions, care continuity, and student progress.
Budget & Time Pressures	Hiring is tied to budget cycles and grant timelines, leaving little room for delays or extended searches.	Vacancies remain unfilled longer, increasing the workload for existing staff and reducing the availability of student support.
Specialized Hiring Complexity	Recruiting for healthcare roles requires traversing licensure rules, IEP guidelines, and healthcare billing regulations.	HR teams face slower vetting processes and increased compliance risks, which can delay essential care delivery.

Specialized Clinician Shortages

There’s a growing national shortage of healthcare workers. According to projections from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the U.S. is expected to face shortages of more than 9,000 physical therapists, 39,710 school counselors, and 207,980 registered nurses by 2037.

However, the issue hits even harder in school settings, where hours are limited and pay may lag behind healthcare facilities, making it tougher to attract top talent.

Managing Temporary or Part-Time Staff

Not every school can offer full-time roles for healthcare professionals. To bridge the gap, administrators often turn to part-time or temporary support staff. But these roles are harder to fill, especially when the schedule is split across multiple campuses or limited to just a few hours per week.

Even when someone is hired, maintaining consistency can be challenging. Clinicians may rotate in and out of different schools, making it difficult for students to build trust or stick to treatment plans. Over time, this lack of continuity can disrupt progress and create frustration for both staff and students.

Budget and Timeline Pressures

School districts often work within strict budgets. Even when funds are approved, there’s pressure to get someone on board quickly before the school year starts or within a set fiscal cycle. Credential checks, interviews, and compliance steps take time, and delays often leave positions open longer than schools can afford.

Complex Hiring and Credentialing Requirements

HR departments know how to hire educators, but filling healthcare roles requires a different level of insight. Whether it’s understanding state licensure rules, IEP requirements, or Medicaid billing, sourcing high-quality candidates can be a steep learning curve. Without a dedicated partner, even well-resourced schools may struggle to vet and onboard the right professionals.

The Benefits of Partnering with Staffing Agencies

Once schools recognize these challenges, the next question is simple: What’s the best way forward? Increasingly, districts turn to staffing partners to fill these gaps quickly, strategically, and sustainably.

Access to Qualified Candidates

Partnering with education managed service providers like GHR Education connects schools to a network of credentialed healthcare providers—nurses, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, and more. All candidates are pre-screened and ready to work, reducing time-to-hire and ensuring compliance.

Efficiency and Time Savings

For most HR teams, healthcare hiring is only one of many responsibilities. GHR Education handles the entire process—from sourcing and credentialing to interviews and onboarding—so administrators can focus on students instead of paperwork.

Flexibility for Short- and Long-Term Needs

Schools need different levels of support throughout the year. GHR provides the flexibility to staff both short- and long-term roles, ensuring the right professionals are always in place.

Cost Savings

Outsourcing healthcare staffing helps schools manage budgets more effectively. GHR streamlines recruitment, reduces turnover costs, and minimizes administrative overhead.

Real Schools, Real Results

Every placement GHR Education makes supports a larger mission—helping students succeed. These stories show the measurable impact of partnering with GHR.

A Smarter Way to Meet School Healthcare Staffing Needs

Across the country, schools are scrambling to meet students’ health needs with limited resources. GHR Education specializes in solving these challenges through expertise, agility, and care—connecting districts to credentialed professionals who bring compassion and skill to every role.

Whether you need short- or long-term staffing, GHR Education is ready to help. Explore school-based staffing solutions to get started.