Immunizations

No student is admitted by a school unless at the time of admission the student or the parent submits documentary proof of immunization as required by Va. Code §§ 22.1-271.2 and 32.1-46 to the admitting official of the school or unless the student is exempted from immunization as described below or is a homeless child or youth defined in Va. Code § 22.1-3. 

If a student does not have documentary proof of immunization, the school will notify the student or the student’s parent: 

• that it has no documentary proof of immunization for the student; 

• that it may not admit the student without proof unless the student is exempted, including any homeless child or youth as defined in Va. Code § 22.1-3; 

• that the student may be immunized and receive certification by a licensed physician, physician assistant, licensed nurse practitioner, registered nurse or an employee of a local health department; and 

• how to contact the local health department to learn where and when it performs these services. 

Any parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child being home instructed or exempted or excused from school attendance shall comply with immunization requirements provided in Va. Code §§ 22.1-271.4 and 32.1-46 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the child has been enrolled in and is attending school. 

Conditional Enrollment 

Any student whose immunizations are incomplete may be admitted conditionally if documentary proof is provided at the time of enrollment of having received at least one dose of the required immunizations accompanied by a schedule for completion of the required doses within 90 calendar days.  If the student requires more than two doses of hepatitis B vaccine, the conditional enrollment period will be 180 days.   

The immunization record of each student admitted conditionally is reviewed periodically until the required immunizations have been received. Any student admitted conditionally who fails to comply with the student’s schedule for completion of the required immunizations will be excluded from school until immunizations are resumed.   

Exemptions 

No certificate of immunization is required for the admission to school of any student if:  

• the student or the student’s parent submits an affidavit to the admitting official stating that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with the student’s religious tenets or practices; or 

• the school has written certification from a licensed physician, physician assistant, licensed nurse practitioner, or local health department that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the student’s health, indicating the specific nature and probable duration of the medical condition or circumstance that contraindicates immunization.  

Homeless Pupils 

If a student is a homeless child or youth as defined in Va. Code § 22.1-3 and 

• does not have documentary proof of necessary immunizations or has incomplete immunizations and 

• is not exempted from immunization, 

the school division immediately admits such student and refers the student to the school division’s Coordinator for Adult, Homeless, and Migrant Education who will assist in obtaining the documentary proof of, or completing the immunization. 

Evidence of Immunization 

Every school records each student’s immunizations on the school immunization record in the student database.  The hard copy of the school immunization record shall be on a standardized form provided by the State Department of Health or a comparable document, which is a part of the mandatory permanent student record.  Such record is open to inspection by officials of the State Department of Health and the local health departments.   

The school immunization record is transferred by the school whenever the school transfers any student’s permanent academic or scholastic records. 

Within thirty (30) calendar days after the beginning of each school year or entrance of a student, each admitting official  files a report with the local health department.  The report is filed on forms prepared by the State Department of Health and states the number of students admitted to school with documentary proof of immunization, the number of students who have been admitted with a medical or religious exemption and the number of students who have been conditionally admitted, including those students who are homeless children or youths as defined in Va. Code § 22.1-3.