Immunizations
All students, new and returning, must complete their immunization requirements or have an
exemption affidavit filed at their campus. The Health Services staff at your campus will be able
to review the immunization record of a student and offer locations where immunizations may
be obtained, if needed.
- Texas Minimum Immunization Requirements
- Immunization Exemptions
- Provisional Enrollment
- Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Texas Minimum Immunization Requirements
A student shall show acceptable evidence of vaccination prior to entry, attendance, or transfer
to a child-care facility or public elementary or secondary school in Texas.
Texas Department of State Health Services:
Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Grades K-12 PDF (English/Spanish)
Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Pre-Kindergarten and childcare
Facilities (English/Spanish)
Immunization Exemptions
Texas Department of State Health Services – Immunization Exemptions
Requesting an Exemption for Reasons of Conscience
To claim an exemption from vaccinations for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief,
the child’s parent, legal guardian, or a student 18 years or older must present to the school or
child-care facility a completed, signed and notarized affidavit form provided by the Texas
Department of State Health Services. The form must state that the child’s parent, legal
guardian, or a student 18 years or older is declining vaccinations because of their conscience,
including because of the person’s religious belief.
The affidavit will be valid for two years from the date of notarization. After two years, a new
exemption affidavit form from the Texas Department of State Health Services will need to be
completed and notarized.
A child or student who has not received the required immunizations for reasons of conscience,
including religious beliefs, may be excluded from school in times of emergency or epidemic
declared by the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services.
How to Request an Affidavit:
Requesting an Affidavit Online: Texas DSHS staff process conscientious exemption
requests in the order that they are received and it may take up to 3 weeks for requested
affidavits to be mailed.
Requesting an Affidavit by Mail: Send completed form through the US Postal Service to
the following address:
Texas Department of State Health Services Immunization Section
Mail Code 1946
P.O. Box 149347
Austin, TX 78714-9347
Requesting an Affidavit by Fax: Send completed form to 512-776-7544
The original notarized Affidavit form should be given to the campus nurse.
Exemptions for Medical Reasons
For school and childcare attendance, the state allows for medical exemptions to accommodate
individuals who have valid medical reasons for which they cannot receive certain vaccines.
Texas law allows physicians (MD or DO) to write medical exemption statements which clearly
state a medical reason exists that the person cannot receive specific vaccines. For children
claiming medical exemptions, a written statement signed by the physician must be submitted
to the school. Unless it is written in the statement that a lifelong condition exists, the
exemption statement is valid for only one year from the date signed by the physician.
Provisional Enrollment
What is Provisional enrollment?
Provisional enrollment is a component of the rules adopted by the Texas Department of State
Health Services (DSHS) for the minimum immunization requirements for school entry.
Provisional enrollment allows a student meeting certain criteria to be admitted to school on a
temporary basis for up to 30 days. During this 30-day period, the parent is responsible for
ensuring that the student receives the necessary vaccines(s) as fast as it is medically feasible
and/or providing a complete and current immunization record to the school, or has a valid
vaccine exemption on file. Texas schools are also responsible for ensuring that immunization
records are sent to requesting Texas schools within the 30-day period.
What specific circumstances must a child fall under to qualify for provisional enrollment?
Provisional enrollment allows a student to enroll in school under the following situations:
1. Transfer Students – Students transferring from one Texas public or private school to
another Texas school may be enrolled provisionally for 30 days while awaiting the
transfer of the immunization record.
2. Homeless Students – Student who are defined as homeless according to the federal
McKinney-Vento Act, 42 U.S.C. §11302 shall be admitted temporarily for 30 days if acceptable evidence of vaccination is not available. The school shall promptly refer the
student to the appropriate health provider to obtain the required vaccines.
3. Students In-Progress – Students who have received at least one dose of each specified
age-appropriate vaccine required for the DSHS rules. To remain enrolled, students must
complete the required subsequent doses of each vaccine series on schedule and as
rapidly as medically feasible and provide acceptable evidence of vaccinations to the
school. A school nurse or school administrator shall review the immunization status of a
provisionally enrolled student every 30 days to ensure continued compliance in
completing the required doses of vaccination. If, at the end of the 30-day period, a
student has not received the subsequent dose of vaccine, the student is not in
compliance and the school shall exclude the student from school attendance until the
required dose(s) is (are) administered.
4. Active Duty Military Dependents – Students who are dependents of a person who is on
active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States can be enrolled provisionally for
no more than 30 days if he/she transfers from one school to another and is awaiting the
transfer of the immunization record.
5. Children in Foster Care – Students who are in foster care and are awaiting the transfer
of their immunization record may be enrolled provisionally for 30 days.
Can a child without an immunization record be enrolled provisionally if they are not
homeless, are not transferring from a Texas school or are not progressing towards obtaining
immunizations as fast as is medically feasible?
No. The child must obtain the first doses of the required vaccines and then they can be
admitted provisionally as long as they ae progressing towards receiving the remaining vaccines
as fast as medically feasible.
Resources
The following is a list of resources for families who need vaccinations:
The student’s pediatricianClinics with Free or Low-cost Vaccines
Pharmacies like Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, HEB
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
My child had the shots you say he/she is missing. Didn’t the doctor’s office send it to you?
No. Your doctor’s office does not send your student’s health information to the school. When
your child gets their vaccinations, please ask for a copy and bring it to your campus clinic.
I do not want my child getting the required vaccines. Is there a paper that I can sign?
Yes. You must apply for an affidavit from the Texas Department of State Health Services
website. All forms are mailed to you. Affidavits must be notarized (including the parent
signature and the vaccines exempt for your student) and turned in to the campus clinic. These
affidavits expire every two years and can take 1-3 weeks to arrive. Please plan accordingly.
Don’t you check the state immunization registry (Immtrac)?
Yes. We check Immtrac whenever possible. Parents must opt in to the state registry for
immunizations, which is done through your physician’s office. We do not input data into the
state registry, so we cannot guarantee it has the most current information. Please continue to
provide your individual student’s immunization records to the campus clinic.
My child has an appointment for their vaccinations on exclusion day or the day after
exclusion day. Can they come to school until the appointment?
No. Unfortunately, they cannot be in school until the vaccines have been given and the campus
clinic has the updated record.
Do you all notify parents when shots are due for our children?
Yes. We notify families by methods such as email, mail, telephone, and by sending letters with
your student. Please make sure your home and email addresses, as well as phone numbers, are
up to date in the school system. You can update those with the campus registrar.
Why do you care if I vaccinate my child?
The Texas Administrative Code, Title 25 Health Services, §§97.61-97.72 sets the minimum
standards for school immunization requirements. All Texas schools and child-care facilities must follow these requirements.
For Medical reasons, my child cannot receive the vaccines that are required. What should I
do?
Talk with your physician. If your physician feels the vaccines are medically contradicted, then
the physician can write a medical exemption. The medical exemption is valid for 1 year, unless
the physician writes it as a lifelong exemption. The physician’s written exemption must be
turned in to the school clinic.
My child has practice before school. Can they attend practice and go home before school
starts?
No. They cannot attend any school related functions, UIL events or ride the bus, starting the
day of exclusion. This remains in effect until updated immunization information is delivered to
the school clinic.