The California School Immunization Law also requires schools to enforce immunization requirements, maintain immunization records of all children enrolled, and submit reports to the local health department.
Under the California School Immunization Law, children are required to receive certain immunizations in order to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools.
The information below is to help parents learn about the required immunizations for school.
What immunizations does my child need for school?
Immunization required for 7th grade:
Immunizations required to enter Kindergarten:
- Polio
- DTaP
- MMR
- Hepatitis B
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
For more information about the required number of doses and ages that vaccines must be given, review the Guide to Immunizations Required for Grades K-12.
All students entering, advancing or transferring into 7th grade need proof of an adolescent whooping cough booster immunization (called “Tdap”).
This school immunization law affects all students in public and private schools.
Pertussis is a very contagious respiratory disease that can be severe and last for months. The immunity received from either early childhood immunization or pertussis disease wears off over time, leaving older students and adults susceptible again to pertussis. Immunization with Tdap can protect students, schools and communities against pertussis.
Please review this guide for students entering 7th grade. (PDF)
Under a new law known as SB 277, beginning January 1, 2016 exemptions based on personal beliefs, including religious beliefs, will no longer be an option for the vaccines that are currently required for entry into child care or school in California. Most families will not be affected by the new law because their children have received all required vaccinations. Personal beliefs exemptions on file for a child already attending child care or school will remain valid until the child reaches the next immunization checkpoint at kindergarten (including transitional kindergarten) or 7th grade.
