Immunizations
Questions related to TEACH-NW's immunization record requirement process can be directed to Jessica Deeds.
Online Schools
There are a variety of online education opportunities for children in Oregon. It is encouraged that online schools obtain immunization records for all of the students registered in their programs. Students enrolled in online programs that come together with other children at least five times during the school year are required to have immunization records on file with the program. Examples of students coming together include field trips, day events, tutoring centers, testing, and planned outings. Children receiving online education at a school site, or participating in classes or activities such as band or sports, are to be included in the school report to the local health department.
Programs unable to distinguish between students that are online only and those students that participate in program activities with other students must have immunization records on all of the students. Programs that have the ability to distinguish between online-only students and students participating in program activities with other students must include, at a minimum, students participating in program activities in the report submitted to the local health department but may include all students on the report.
Students that have received an exclusion order and have not submitted the information to their school administration by exclusion day will be excluded by having no access to online programs until the information has been received. Alternatively, for schools that distinguish between online students and students participating in program activities with other students, exclusion may occur by prohibiting participation in activities.
Transferring Students
A student who was recently attending another school may be considered a transfer student. If a child is a transfer student, the child’s parent may either fill out a new Oregon Certificate of Immunization Status Form or may receive a grace period to allow time for the student’s records to be shipped. They can qualify for the 30-day grace period only if they meet ALL of the following conditions:
Last academic year, the child attended a school within the United States*; AND
Your school is requesting a record from the previous school; AND
You expect that the other school will send a record that includes immunizations.
Children who attended school outside the United States or who were home-schooled in the last academic year must meet the requirements for initial attendance as a new enterer.
What if I don’t want to immunize my child?
An option parents may choose if they do not want their child to receive one or more required vaccines. A nonmedical exemption requires parents to submit two documents: 1.) Certificate of Immunization Status, signed by the parent and indicating vaccines for exemption, and 2.) A Vaccine Education Certificate signed by a healthcare practitioner or printed from the online vaccine education module.