To enter or transfer into elementary and secondary schools (grades kindergarten through 12), children under age 18 years must have immunizations as outlined in the following:
Tdap - Whooping cough (Pertussis)
All students entering 7
To enter or transfer into elementary and secondary schools (grades kindergarten through 12), children under age 18 years must have immunizations as outlined in the following:
Tdap - Whooping cough (Pertussis)
All students entering 7th grade in California will be immunized with a pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine booster called Tdap.
4 doses at any age, but... 3 doses meet the requirement for ages 4-6 years if at least one was given on or after the 4th birthday,* 3 doses meet the requirement for ages 7-17 years if at least one was given on or after the 2nd birthday.
Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis
Age 6 years and under – 5 doses at any age, but... 4 doses meet the requirement for ages 4-6 years if at least one was on or after the 4th birthday.* DTP, DTaP or any combination of DTP or DTaP with DT (diphtheria and tetanus). Pertussis is required.
Age 7 years and older – 4 doses at any age, but... 3 doses meet the requirement for ages 7-17 years if at least one was on or after the 2nd birthday.* If last dose was given before the 2nd birthday, one more (Td) dose is required. Td, DT, or DTP, DTaP or any combination of these. Pertussis is NOT required.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
2 doses** both on or after 1st birthday.*
3 doses at any age or 2 doses under certain conditions.***
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
All Grades – 1 dose****
Out-of-state entrants (grades K-12) – 1 dose for children under 13 years; 2 doses are needed if immunized on or after 13th birthday.****
NOTE: If a student has ever attended a California School before July 1, 2001, the varicella doses are not required.
*Receipt of the dose up to (and including) 4 days before the birthday will satisfy the school entry immunization requirement.
**Two doses of measles-containing vaccine required. One dose of mumps and rubella-containing vaccine required; mumps vaccine is not required for children 7 years of age and older.
***Two doses of the 2-dose hepatitis B vaccine formulation along with provider documentation that the 2-dose hepatitis B vaccine formulation was used for both doses and both doses were received at age 11-15 years will also fulfill this requirement.
****Physician-documented varicella (chickenpox) disease history or immunity meets the varicella requirement.
Mantoux Tuberculosis (TB) Skin Test
Required for students:
- Entering kindergarten for the first time (test may have been given up to 18 months prior to school entrance)
- Transferring from outside Santa Clara County and entering grades 1 - 12 (test may have been given up to 6 months prior to school entrance)
Documentation must include:
- Date test given
- Date test read
- Reading recorded as millimeters of induration
- Impression recorded as positive or negative
- Signature or stamp of your physician or clinic
The Mantoux skin test MUST be read between 48 and 72 hours after being administered (no more and no less). We recommend that you do not have the test given on a Thursday because it would have to be read on the weekend.
- If your child has a positive reading of 10 mm or greater, your child will need to have a chest x-ray before being allowed to attend school. The chest x-ray must be read and certified by a physician documenting that the student has a normal chest x-ray and is free of communicable tuberculosis.
- Students who test positive for tuberculosis need to present a physician's written documentation of current or previously completed preventive treatment (6 months minimum) in order to meet the tuberculosis requirement.