Tools for Schools 

How to Implement Immunization Requirements:

1. Obtain each child's personal immunization record (e.g., "yellow card").
   
   
2. Complete a California School Immunization Record (CSIR/Blue Card/CDPH 286)(PDF) by transferring vaccine dates from the child's personal immunization record to a Blue Card or equivalent record. Blue Cards and stickers for the 7th grade Tdap (Pertussis Booster) requirement are available for free from local health departments.
   (See Resources page for more information on computerized records.)
   
   
3. Determine if requirements are met by comparing the number of doses on the Blue Card to the G​uide to Immunization Requirements for K-12th Grade (PDF) | Spanish​ (PDF).

   See Exemptions FAQs for more information.

4. Complete the Status of Requirements boxes on the Blue Card.
   
   
5. Admit only children who

   (a) have all required immunizations; or
   (b) are not currently due for any immunizations but have doses due later (see Conditional Admission FAQs); or
   (c) fit in one of the "Other" categories (see Exemptions FAQs).

   If requirements are not met, you may refer parents to their doctor with a Letter to Parents: Immu​nizations Needed (PDF).
   
   

6. File the completed Blue Card, or equivalent, in the child's cumulative folder. Schools must keep immunization information on file for every child enrolled.
   
   
7. Follow up on those children who were not due for any doses when admitted but have pending doses due later. (See Blue Book (PDF) for more information on following up with parents.)
   
   

8. If you discover an admitted student is overdue for required immunizations, n​ot​ify the parent/guardian​ (PDF) and allow no more than 10 school days to receive the required vaccine(s) or a medical exemption.  After the deadline, you must exclude the student from further attendance until the student comes into compliance with the requirements.​

   
   
9. Every fall, submit Immunization Assessment Reports for kindergarten and 7th grade. Throughout the school year, report contagious diseases (PDF) to your local health department.

*See the Blue Book (PDF) for additional information.

Resources

• California School Requirements: Implementation Tools | Online Training​​
• Immunization Assessment Reporting Instructions:

  Kindergarten | 7th Grade

• How Well-Vaccinated Is Your School? ​
  
• Resources to Share with Parents 
  
• Flu Prevention