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East Valley School District

To empower and inspire all in the pursuit of excellence.

Immunization Requirements & Certificate of Exemption

Immunization Requirements & Certificate of Exemption

As of July 28, 2019, a new state law removes the personal and philosophical option to exempt children from the MMR vaccine required for school. Two doses of MMR vaccine are required for all children who are students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Medical and religious exemptions are not affected by this new law. Children without documentation of the required number of MMR vaccine doses per RCW 28A.210.120 will be prohibited from attending school. 

Please note that if a parent fails to provide the district proof of the immunizations in accordance with state law, the child will be excluded from starting and/or attending school until the district has received the following: 

  1. A current immunization record from the healthcare provider with the Certificate of Immunization Status showing that the child has received any current and/or missing vaccine(s); OR
  1. A Certificate of Exemption signed by the healthcare provider showing a medical, religious, or personal reason for not vaccinating the child. Please note that RCW 28A.210.090 requires the certificate of exemption to be signed by the healthcare

Entry Requirements:

  • 5 doses of Dtap (required TK-12th grade)
  • 3 doses of Hepatitis B (required TK-12)
  • 2 doses MMR or MMRV (required TK-12)
  • 2 doses Varicella – Chicken pox (required TK-12) – 2 doses must be at least 28 days apart
  • 1 dose of Tdap (required 7-12)
  • 4 doses of Polio vaccine (required TK-12)
  • PreK-TK only not required >5   Hib 3 or 4 doses (depending on vaccine )   

See vaccination requirement chart below. 

Exceptions:

  1. A student with homeless status is allowed by law to enroll immediately while the district works with family to get the proper
  1. If a student has recently had an immunization that is part of a series and is required to wait an allotted time for the next booster, then the student is allowed to enroll and/or attend under a conditional status until the time for the next booster. Note: The parent must provide the district proof of the student receiving the next booster by the end of the conditional status period (plus an allowable a 10 days grace period) or he/she will be excluded from attending school until such proof is
  1. If a student does not have the (2) doses of varicella, but has had the chicken pox disease, they can provide a letter from a licensed healthcare provider that verifies that they have had the disease in the

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.

Exemptions from one or more vaccines will be granted for medical reason upon certification by a physician that there is a medical reason for not administering the vaccine.

Exemptions for personal or religious reasons will be granted upon request of the parent or legal guardian. To request an exemption, a parent or guardian must submit a signed COE that the parent/guardian has either a philosophical, personal, or religious objection to the immunization of the child. Forms must include a statement to be signed by a health care practitioner stating that he or she provided the parent/guardian with information about the benefits and risks of immunization to the child. The form may be signed by a health care practitioner at any time prior to the enrollment of the child in a school or licensed day care. Photocopies of the signed form or a letter from the health care practitioner will be accepted in lieu of the original form.

Any parent or legal guardian of the child who exempts the child due to religious beliefs is not required to have a COE signed by a health care practitioner if the parent or legal guardian demonstrates on the COE membership in a religious body or a church in which the religious beliefs or teachings of the church preclude a health care practitioner from providing medical treatment to the child.

Students with exemptions will be identified in the system for easy notification should the local Department of Health order that exempted students be excluded from school temporarily during an outbreak or an epidemic.

If a certificate of exemption is not received upon the student's enrollment in school, the principal will provide written notice to the parents or guardians informing them of:

  1. The immunization requirements;
  2. The potential denial of attendance by the student if any missing immunization(s) and/or documentation needed to complete the CIS are not provided within thirty (30) calendar days of the student’s first day of attendance;
  3. The procedural due process rights; and
  4. The immunization services that are

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 parent or guardian and school principal will be notified in writing of the time and place for the hearing and will present the case to a hearing officer appointed by the superintendent.