Asthma, a major health problem, is the most common chronic illness of school-aged children and adolescents, with an estimated 6.8 million students affected in the United States. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism, with an estimated 14 million lost school days per year. In August 2007, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program released the "Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma". The recommendations were updated from earlier versions based on new evidence to improve the quality of asthma care. The revised management guidelines focus on 4 components of asthma care: (1) measures to assess and monitor asthma; (2) education for a partnership in asthma care; (3) control of environmental factors and co-morbid conditions; and (4) pharmacologic therapy. The "Expert Panel Report 3" (440 pages, summary 74 pages) serves as a major resource for the comprehensive asthma management plans for which school nurses are responsible. An overview of the relevant updates made to the latest published guidelines would be beneficial for busy school nurses. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief summary of the changes in the asthma guidelines that are relevant to school nursing practice. (Contains 1 table.)