Head Lice Policy

This guidance is provided to assist local health departments, elementary schools, preschools, and childcare facilities in developing policies and procedures for the care of children found to have head lice. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends that schools and childcare facilities maintain an active educational campaign for parents on the accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of head lice cases to prevent transmission of lice in schools and reduce lost school days due to head lice
infestation.

Head lice, while a significant nuisance problem, do not transmit disease to humans. Traditionally, head lice policies in schools emphasized that a child infested with head lice could not return to school until no nits were found in their hair (“no-nit” policy).