I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to require that all students receive the proper immunizations as mandated by law to ensure the health and safety of all students.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT
Moorhead Area Public Schools will work cooperatively with the Clay County Public Health Department and adhere to Minnesota Statutes to ensure all students receive necessary immunizations. All students are required to provide proof of immunization or appropriate documentation exempting the student from such immunization, and such data as necessary to ensure that the student is free from any communicable diseases, as a condition of enrollment.
III. STUDENT IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
A. No student may be enrolled or remain enrolled, on a full-time, part-time, or shared-time basis, in any elementary or secondary school within the school district until the student or the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) has submitted to the Superintendent or designee the required proof of immunization. Prior to the student's first date of attendance, the student or the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) shall provide to the Superintendent or designee one of the following statements:
1. A statement, from a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or a public clinic which provides immunizations (hereinafter "medical statement"), affirming that the student received the immunizations required by law, consistent with medically acceptable standards; or
2. A medical statement, affirming that the student received the primary schedule of immunizations required by law and has commenced a schedule of the remaining required immunizations, indicating the month, day and year each immunization was administered, consistent with medically acceptable standards.
B. The statement of a parent/guardian of a student or an emancipated student may be substituted for the medical statement. If such a statement is substituted, this statement must indicate the month, day and year each immunization was administered. Upon request, the Superintendent or designee will provide information to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of a student or an emancipated student of the dosages required for each vaccine according to the age of the student.
C. The parent(s)/guardian(s) of persons receiving instruction in a home school shall submit one of the statements set forth in Section III. A. or III. B. above or statement of immunization set forth in Section IV. to the Superintendent or designee of the school district by October 1 of the first year of their home schooling in Minnesota and the grade 7 year.
D. When there is evidence of the presence of a communicable disease, or when required by any state or federal agency and/or state or federal law, students and/or their parents/guardians may be required to submit such other health care data as necessary to ensure that the student has received any necessary immunizations and/or is free of any communicable diseases. No student may be enrolled or remain enrolled in any elementary or secondary school within the school district until the student or the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) has submitted the required data.
E. The school district may allow a student transferring into a school a maximum of 30 days to submit a statement specified in Section III. A. or III. B. above or Section IV. below. Students who do not provide the appropriate proof of immunization or the required documentation related to an applicable exemption of the student from the required immunization within the specified time frames shall be excluded from school until such time as the appropriate proof of immunizations or exemption documentation has been provided.
F. If a person who is not a Minnesota resident enrolls in a school district online learning course or program that delivers instruction to the person only by computer and does not provide any teacher or instructor contact time or require classroom attendance, the person is not subject to the immunization statement, and other requirements of this policy.
IV. EXEMPTIONS FROM IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
Students will be exempt from the foregoing immunization requirements under the following circumstances:
A. The parent(s)/guardian(s) of a minor student or an emancipated student submits a signed medical statement affirming that the immunization of the student is contraindicated for medical reasons or the laboratory confirmation of the presence of adequate immunity exists; or
B. The parent(s)/guardian(s) of a minor student or an emancipated student submits his or her notarized statement stating the student has not been immunized because of the conscientiously held beliefs of the parent(s), guardian(s) or student.
V. NOTICE OF IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
A. The school district has developed and implemented a procedure to:
1. Notify parent(s)/guardian(s) and students of the immunization and exemption requirements by use of a form approved by the Department of Health;
2. Notify parents and students of the consequence for failure to provide required documentation regarding immunizations;
3. Review student health records to determine whether the required information has been provided; and
4. Make reasonable arrangements to send a student home when the immunization requirements have not been met and advise the student and/or the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) of the conditions for re-enrollment.
B. The notice provided shall contain written information describing the exemptions from immunization as permitted by law. The notice shall be in a font size at least equal to the font size and style as the immunization requirements and on the same page as the immunization requirements.
VI. IMMUNIZATION RECORDS
A. Moorhead Area Public Schools will maintain a file containing the immunization records for each student in attendance at the school district for at least five years after the student attains the age of majority.
B. Upon request, the school district may exchange immunization data with persons or agencies providing services on behalf of the student without the consent of the student's parent(s)/guardian(s). Under all other circumstances, immunization data is private student data and disclosure of such data shall be governed by Moorhead School Board Policy 504: Protection and Privacy of Student Records and state statute.
C. The designated school administrator will assist a student and/or the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) in the transfer of the student's immunization file to the student's new school within 30 days of the student's transfer.
D. Upon request of a public or private postsecondary educational institution, the Superintendent or designee will assist the transfer of the student's immunization file to the postsecondary educational institution.
VII. OTHER
Within 60 days of the commencement of each new school term, the school district will forward a report to the Commissioner of the Department of Education stating the number of students attending each school in the school district, including the number of students receiving instruction in a home school, the number of students who have not been immunized, and the number of students who received an exemption. The school district also will forward a copy of all exemption statements received by the school district to the Commissioner of the Department of Health.
Legal References:
Minn. Stat. 13.32 (Educational Data)
Minn. Stat. 121A.15 (Health Standards; Immunizations; School Children)
Minn. Stat. 121A.17 (School Board Responsibilities)
Minn. Stat. 144.29 (Health Records; Children of School Age)
Minn. Stat. 144.3351 (Immunization Data)
Minn. Stat. 144.441 (Tuberculosis Screening in Schools)
Minn. Stat. 144.442 (Testing in Schools)
McCarthy v. Ozark Sch. Dist., 359 F. 3d 1029 (8th Cir. 2004)
Op. Atty. Gen. 169-W (Jan. 17, 1968)
Op. Atty. Gen. 169-W (July 23, 1980)
Minn. Rules Parts 4604.0100-4604.1000 (Immunization)
Cross References:
Moorhead School Board Policy 425: Health and Safety Protection
Moorhead School Board Policy 504: Protection and Privacy of Student Records
Moorhead School Board Policy 551: Student Discipline
Moorhead School Board Policy 608: Home-Schooled Students
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 530 (Immunization Requirements)