3413 (P) - Student Immunization and Life Threatening Health Conditions

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE No. 3413

STUDENT IMMUNIZATION AND LIFE THREATENING HEALTH CONDITIONS

Certificate of Immunization
Immediately upon enrollment in the district, the student's parent/guardian will complete a Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) provided by the Washington Department of Health, or submit a medically verified immunization record. The district will make the certificate and/or medically verified immunization record part of the student's permanent record.

If, by the student's first day of enrollment, a student does not have the required documentation, the student's parent/guardian may submit evidence of having initiated an immunization schedule, which will provide the student "conditional admittance" status. Students may attend under conditional status for a limited time. Within thirty (30) calendar days of the student's first day of attendance, the parent/guardian must provide any missing immunization(s) and/or provide documentation needed to complete the CIS. If a student needs additional doses to complete a vaccine series, he/she will remain in conditional admittance status for a maximum of thirty (30) calendar days after the next dose is due until the series is complete. Failure to submit documentation within these timelines will be sufficient cause to exclude the student from school.

Exemptions from Immunization
Any and all exemptions will be processed and recorded on a Certificate of Exemption (COE) as provided by the Washington Department of Health.

The district will grant exemptions from one or more vaccines for medical reasons upon certification by a Licensed Health Care Provider (LHP) that there is a medical reason for not administering the vaccine.

The district will grant exemptions for personal or religious reasons upon the parent/guardian's submission of a COE, signed by an LHP, stating that the parent/guardian has either a philosophical, personal, or religious objection to the immunization of the child and the LHP provided the parent/guardian with information about the benefits and risks of immunization to the child. The LHP may sign the form at any time prior to the district's enrollment of the child. The district will accept a photocopy of the signed form or a letter from the LHP in lieu of the original form.

If a COE states the parent or legal guardian is a member in a religious body or church with beliefs or teachings of the church preclude a child from receiving medical treatment from a LHP, the LHP signature on the COA is not required.

The district will mark the permanent file of students who have exemptions for easy identification should the local department of health order that exempted students be excluded from school temporarily during an outbreak or an epidemic.

If the district does not receive a COE upon the student's enrollment in school, the principal or designee will provide written notice to the parents or guardians informing them of:

A. The immunization requirements;

B. The potential that the student will be denied attendance unless documentation needed to complete the CIS is provided within thirty (30) calendar days of the student's first day of attendance;

C. The procedural due process rights; and

D. The immunization services available.

Exclusion from School
Following proper notification, the school will exclude the student for noncompliance with the immunization laws pursuant to the appeal process procedures for student expulsions (Policy 3241). Parents have a right to a hearing, provided they notify the school within three (3) days after receiving the exclusion order from the school principal. If the parent requests a hearing, the district will notify in writing the parent or guardian of the time and place for the hearing and will present the case to a hearing officer appointed by the superintendent.

Revised: February 2019