Hearing and Vision

Annual hearing and vision screenings

  • Annual hearing and vision screenings are conducted each school year, as per IDPH requirements.
  • Hearing screening services shall be provided annually for all preschool children three years of age or older in any public or private educational program or licensed child care facility.
  • Hearing screening services shall be provided annually for all school age children who are in grades K (kindergarten), 1, 2, and 3; are in any special education class; have been referred by a teacher; or are transfer students. These screening services shall be provided in all public, private, and parochial schools.
  • In lieu of the screening services required in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section, a completed and signed report form, indicating that the child has had an ear examination by a physician and an audiological evaluation completed by an audiologist within the previous 12 months is acceptable.
  • In cases of known hearing loss, an audiological evaluation completed by an audiologist within the previous 12 months may be accepted instead of threshold monitoring services.

Annual vision screening services are also provided to students by the district nurse:

  • All preschool children 3 years of age (or older) in any public or private educational program or licensed child-care facility.
  • All school age children who are in kindergarten, second and eighth grades; in all special education classes; referred by teachers; and transfer students. Such screening services shall be provided in all public, independent, private and parochial schools.
  • In lieu of the screening services required in subsection (a) of this Section, a completed and signed report form, indicating that an eye examination by an M.D. specializing in diseases of the eye or a licensed optometrist has been administered within the previous 12 months, is acceptable.

Illinois law requires proof of an eye examination by an optometrist or physician ( such as an ophthalmologist) who provides eye examinations be submitted to the school no later than October 15 of the year the child is first enrolled in Kindergarten or as required by the school for other children. The examination must be completed within one year prior to the first day of the school year the child enters the Illinois school system for the first time.Click here for the vision form.

The parent of any child who is unable to obtain an examination must submit a waiver form to the school. Click here for vision exam waiver


Information obtained from Illinois Department of Public Health