1. PUPILS NOT MEETING REQUIREMENTS

Pupils who do not meet these State requirements are referred to their physician or local health department, providing them with a written notice giving dates of vaccine doses received and indicating which doses are lacking.

2. DOCUMENTATION

All pupils must present an immunization record.

1. What is it? 

It is a written immunization record, either a personal record with entries made by a physician or clinic, or a school immunization record -- the blue California School Immunization Record (PM286) or another states school record.  It must include at least the month and the year each dose was received; for measles, rubella and/or mumps vaccine given in the month of the first birthday, month, day and year are required.  A record saying only “up-to-date,” “all requirements met,” or “series complete” is inadequate.  Also, the record must show that all due or past due vaccine doses have been received.  Parents cannot simply fill out a California School Immunization Record but must present a written immunization record.

2. Who must present it? 

All pupils entering school or transferring between school campuses.  Kindergarten entrances and entrances from outside the U.S. must present a personal immunization record.  Pupils transferring from other schools in California or other states must present either a personal immunization record or a state school immunization record.

3. When must it be presented? 

Pupils transferring from other schools in California or in other states may be given up to 30 school days of attendance while waiting for the records to arrive from previous school.

3. INCOMPLETE IMMUNIZATION

Pupils lacking one or more required vaccine doses but not currently due for a dose may be admitted on condition that they receive the remaining dose when due.  If the maximum time interval has passed, the pupil must be excluded until the next immunization is obtained 

4. IMMUNIZATION EXEMPTIONS

In California, there are two exemptions to the

immunization requirements.

Medical Exemptions

• Temporary or permanent medical conditions prevent a child from receiving immunizations.

• Both temporary and permanent medical exemptions require a letter from a doctor that states the medical condition and which immunizations the student cannot receive. 

• In the case of a temporary exemption, the doctor must also specify how long the immunization should be postponed.

Personal Belief Exemptions

• Immunization is contrary to the religious or personal beliefs of the parents/guardians.

• Parents/guardians must conform to the requirements of the State of California by providing a Personal Beliefs Exemption to Required Immunizations that health care practitioners have informed the parents/guardians about the risks and benefits of immunizations.

• See Shots for School for additional information and to obtain the exemption form in other languages. 

• See Frequently Asked Questions on Personal Belief Exemptions (AB2109).

Schools shall maintain a list of exempt and conditional entrants. 

If there is a disease outbreak at school, the exempt student may be excluded from school to protect him or her and prevent others from becoming ill.