Immunizations

Mandatory Immunizations for 7th grade students

Per Fl statute, students entering seventh grade are required to have these state mandated grade level immunizations prior to school entry:
  • One dose of tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccine
  • Other state mandated school entry immunizations
  • An updated Florida Certification of Immunization (680 form) to include Tdap, must be obtained for submission to the school
If your school has a student, not fully immunized, that does not meet one of the exemptions below, please use the attached letters, in the correct order, to notify parents of next steps.

The allowable exemptions to this immunization requirement are: homeless, religious, and medical.

Please see the requirements for students meeting one of these exemptions below.

McKinney-Vento Program (Homeless)

Students in housing transition are permitted to enroll and/or continue attending school while obtaining vaccinations to assist in maintaining school stability. If financial hardship is prohibiting student from obtaining vaccinations, please visit https://www.communityconnect.ocps.net for free and low-cost vaccination options in your local area. If you continue to struggle in obtaining the mandatory vaccinations please contact your school level McKinney-Vento contact and/or school level Social Worker for assistance.

Religious

Form 681 is issued if immunizations are in conflict with the religious tenets and practices of the child’s parent or guardian. This is issued by a County Health Department (CHD) and based on established religious beliefs or practices only.

Medical: Temporary and Permanent

Temporary:

Private health care providers may grant a Temporary Medical Exemption (TME), documented
on the Form 680, Florida Certification of Immunization, for those who are in the process of completing any necessary immunizations. The TME requires an expiration date after which the exemption is no longer valid, and the immunizations must be completed before or at that time.

Permanent:

A Permanent Medical Exemption, documented on the Form DH 680, can be granted if a child
cannot be fully immunized due to medical reasons. In this case, the child's physician must state in writing, the reasons for exemption based on valid clinical reasoning or evidence

Attendance

Absences will be unexcused until all requirements are met, then the school will revert the absences to excused. Those students with allowable exemptions should be permitted to continue attending school despite not meeting the immunization requirement.