Press Release Details
San Francisco Board of Education updates immunization policy Link to this section
February 10, 2016 (San Francisco) – At this week’s regular San Francisco Board of Education meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to update its immunization policy.
The previous policy on immunizations consisted of a one-sentence instruction, "No pupil shall be enrolled in any school in the San Francisco Unified School District without proof of immunization as required by California Administrative Code, Title 17."
The new policy makes note of the school board’s intention to collaborate with state and local public health agencies to both encourage and facilitate immunizations against preventable diseases.
It also requires proof of legally-mandated immunizations when a student is enrolled into a child care and development program, preschool, elementary or secondary school, or when a student enters seventh grade after July 1, 2016.
The policy allows students to be exempted only when authorized by law and allows immediate enrollment of homeless and foster youth. It also allows military families 30 days to obtain required immunizations.
Under the updated policy, SFUSD can arrange for an authorized health care provider to administer immunizations to students if the student’s parents or guardians provide written consent.
Currently, SFUSD’s kindergarten immunization compliance rate is 93 percent.
The revised policy is based on the California School Board Association’s Model Policy.
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Page updated on 02/10/16