Immunizations

Immunizations are an excellent way to protect your student and family against many diseases. Age-appropriate immunization starts at birth and continues through adulthood, with special emphasis through age two. Your student's health care provider can help determine which immunizations your child may need.

All schools are required to comply with immunization laws and rules, including public schools, private schools, charter schools, alternative education programs and any program that provides educational instruction designed to lead to a high school diploma or transfer into a regular high school program. The Oregon Health Authority requires the district to collect immunization records and report them to Lane County Public Health.

Nearly every place that provides care for a child outside the home requires either proof of immunizations, a medical exemption or nonmedical exemption to be enrolled and remain enrolled come exclusion day, the third Wednesday of February every year.
 

What's Required

The number of doses required varies by a child’s age and how long ago they were vaccinated. Other vaccines may be recommended. Visit the Oregon Health Authority's Required Shots for School and Children's Facilities to find the most up-to-date vaccine requirements for school. Note: Hepatitis A is now required in Oregon for all children 18 months through 12th grade.
 

When Do You Have To Get Them?

To register for school each year, you must be able to show that your child has received at least the first dose in any required vaccine series or the proper documentation to claim an exemption.

The deadline for Oregon students to receive all required vaccinations is the third Wednesday in February, every year. On this day, children will not be able to attend school/child care facility if their record on file is incomplete or they are missing the proper documentation for an exemption.

Health services staff work with our schools to make every effort to contact families, remind them of this deadline and provide information about resources that may be available.
 

How to Provide Information to Your School

Download a Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) Form. Page one must be filled out, signed, dated and saved before it is emailed to the school or to health services.The form can be printed and the hard copy turned into the school as well.

This form must be filled out by a parent/guardian. The school will not accept a blank one or one that only has a signature with no dates filled in.
You can request a copy of those records from your child's physician and then transfer them onto the Oregon CIS Form.
 

Registering for Kindergarten

Students who are entering school for the first time and who register online can submit their immunization record into the CIS form provided during the registration process.

When registering a child for kindergarten, families must show immunization records demonstrating that their child has had the immunizations required by the state of Oregon.

The school will not accept a blank CIS Form or one that only has a signature without dates filled in.

If you're registering in the spring, plan to schedule the vaccinations before school begins.
 

Exemptions and Immunity

Parents who cannot or do not want their children to be vaccinated can claim an exemption for one or all school immunizations. There two types of exemptions; medical and nonmedical. In addition, some people may show immunity because of having had a disease or with a blood test.

Oregon Health Authority directions and required forms for completing the exemption process.

Learn more about nonmedical exemptions per Oregon Health Authority.