For people with diabetes, families, school staff and clinicians
Diabetes technology can reduce daily burden and provide useful information, but devices still need human support. Schools should know what the device does, what an alarm means and what to do when it is unavailable.
Quick answer
The student’s technology instructions should be part of the DMMP or linked provider orders. Staff may need to recognise urgent symptoms, support a device check and use backup equipment when data are missing or do not match how the student feels.
Key points
- Document the device, alerts, student responsibilities and staff actions in the school plan.
- Keep a backup glucose meter and supplies available where the plan requires them.
- Explain how phone, receiver, pump, sensor and internet failures are handled.
Why continuous glucose monitoring matters
Technology can add useful information and reduce some tasks, but it does not remove the need for judgement, training and a backup plan. Sensors, pumps, automated insulin delivery and other supports can fail, lose connectivity, give unexpected readings or be unavailable at a critical moment. Symptoms still matter.
A good technology plan explains who responds to alerts, when a confirmatory check is needed, what supplies are available and how privacy is protected. It also sets realistic expectations: a tool can support safety, but it should not be treated as infallible or used to replace urgent clinical assessment.
A practical step-by-step plan
1. Document the device, alerts, student responsibilities and staff actions in the school plan
Document the device, alerts, student responsibilities and staff actions in the school plan. Define what the tool can and cannot do. Users and staff need to understand alerts, expected delays, confirmation steps and the situations in which symptoms take priority. A useful check is to ask: What should staff do when the sensor is unavailable?
2. Keep a backup glucose meter and supplies available where the plan requires them
Keep a backup glucose meter and supplies available where the plan requires them. Keep an accessible backup. A meter, medication, written instructions or another agreed method should be available when the primary system is unavailable. A useful check is to ask: When should a meter check be used?
3. Explain how phone, receiver, pump, sensor and internet failures are handled
Explain how phone, receiver, pump, sensor and internet failures are handled. Review privacy, access and training. Technology works best when the people expected to respond know their role and the user is not unnecessarily singled out. A useful check is to ask: Who can support a pump or automated insulin delivery problem?
4. Never assume a device alarm is a behaviour problem or that a sensor reading overrides symptoms
Never assume a device alarm is a behaviour problem or that a sensor reading overrides symptoms. Audit repeated false alarms, missed events or failures with the care team or provider. A recurring reliability problem should not simply be normalised. A useful check is to ask: How is data privacy protected?
What good support looks like
Good technology support starts with realistic expectations. Users and staff know what an alert means, when symptoms override the displayed value and what to do if the system is unavailable. A backup monitoring and treatment route remains accessible.
Training, privacy and review matter as much as the device itself. Repeated missed events, false alerts or connectivity failures should be investigated rather than accepted as normal.
A real-life test for the plan
Imagine that the circumstances around diabetes technology in schools change at short notice. The usual routine is disrupted, a key person is unavailable, a device or supply cannot be used, or the symptoms do not match what was expected. A robust arrangement should still show where the current instructions are kept, who can make the next decision, how essential information will be shared and when professional advice is needed. It should not depend on memory or an improvised treatment change.
Rehearse the plan by asking What should staff do when the sensor is unavailable? and When should a meter check be used? The answers should name a person, place, communication route or decision point. If they only describe what normally happens, add a backup for delays, absences, technology failure and unexpected symptoms. A written fallback does not need to be long, but it should be clear to someone who does not know the usual routine. This short rehearsal often finds practical gaps before they become stressful or unsafe.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a device reading is always correct when symptoms disagree.
- Relying on connectivity without a meter, supplies or written backup plan.
- Treating alerts as disruption rather than health information.
- Believing technology or an alert dog can replace emergency assessment.
Questions to discuss
- What should staff do when the sensor is unavailable?
- When should a meter check be used?
- Who can support a pump or automated insulin delivery problem?
- How is data privacy protected?
Record device-specific actions, alert responsibilities, confirmation steps and the backup method in the person’s written plan.
Frequently asked questions
What should staff do when the sensor is unavailable?
Document the device, alerts, student responsibilities and staff actions in the school plan. The answer should be specific to the person and setting rather than copied from a general checklist. Confirm who will act, what information or supplies are needed, and what the backup will be if the usual arrangement fails. Review that answer whenever the circumstances affecting diabetes technology in schools change.
When should a meter check be used?
Keep a backup glucose meter and supplies available where the plan requires them. The answer should be specific to the person and setting rather than copied from a general checklist. Confirm who will act, what information or supplies are needed, and what the backup will be if the usual arrangement fails. Review that answer whenever the circumstances affecting diabetes technology in schools change.
Who can support a pump or automated insulin delivery problem?
Explain how phone, receiver, pump, sensor and internet failures are handled. The answer should be specific to the person and setting rather than copied from a general checklist. Confirm who will act, what information or supplies are needed, and what the backup will be if the usual arrangement fails. Review that answer whenever the circumstances affecting diabetes technology in schools change.
When to get urgent help
Technology must not delay emergency care. Severe symptoms, seizure, unconsciousness, repeated vomiting, dehydration or suspected ketoacidosis require urgent action.
Do not wait for a routine appointment if there is severe hypoglycaemia, loss of consciousness, a seizure, repeated vomiting, marked dehydration, difficulty breathing, significant ketones, suspected diabetic ketoacidosis or another immediate safety concern. Use the person’s emergency plan and local emergency services.
The bottom line
For diabetes technology in schools, clarity matters more than an exhaustive checklist. Document the device, alerts, student responsibilities and staff actions in the school plan. A useful next action is straightforward: Keep a backup glucose meter and supplies available where the plan requires them. Record anything that still needs clarification. The strongest plan is one that a patient, family member, clinician or staff member can actually follow when the day becomes busy or unexpected.
Related Livingdiabetes guides
Sources and further reading
- ADA Standards of Care 2026: Diabetes Technology
- ADA: Continuous Glucose Monitoring at School
- CDC: Managing Diabetes at School
- ADA: Diabetes Medical Management Plan
This article is for general education. It does not replace an individual diabetes medical management plan, diagnosis or advice from a qualified healthcare professional.