DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION RULES GOVERNING IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS IN ARKANSAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Effective Date: July 6, 2020
1.0 PURPOSE
1.01 The purpose of these rules is to
establish the requirements and procedures for governing grades Kindergarten
through Twelve (K-12) immunization requirements in Arkansas Public
Schools.
2.0 REGULATORY AUTHORITY
2.01 The
Rules are duly adopted and promulgated pursuant to the State Board of
Education's authority under Ark. Code Ann. §§ 6-11-105, 6-18-702, and
25-15-201 et seq.
3.0 REQUIREMENTS
3.01 Except as
otherwise provided in these rules, no child shall be admitted to a public
school of this state who has not been immunized against the following, as
evidenced by an immunization record from a licensed physician or a public
health department (See Table I): 3.01.1
Poliomyelitis;
3.01.2
Diphtheria;
3.01.3
Tetanus;
3.01.4
Pertussis;
3.01.5 Red (rubeola)
measles;
3.01.6 Rubella;
3.01.7 Mumps;
3.01.8 Hepatitis B;
3.01.9 Hepatitis A;
3.01.10 Meningococcal disease; and
3.01.11 Varicella
(chickenpox).
3.02 The
requirements for entry into school are:3.02.1
For students entering into Kindergarten
3.02.1.1 At least four doses of the following
vaccines:3.02.1.1.1
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Acellular Pertussis (DTaP);
3.02.1.1.2 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis
(DTP); or
3.02.1.1.3
Diphtheria/Tetanus (DT pediatric).
3.02.1.2 At least three doses of Polio
vaccine;
3.02.1.3 Three doses of
Hepatitis B vaccine;
3.02.1.4 Two
doses of Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccine
3.02.1.4.1 If a student received two doses of
measles, one dose of mumps, and one dose of rubella prior to January 1, 2010
the doses will be accepted as compliant with Section 3.02.1.4
3.02.1.5 Two doses of Varicella
(chickenpox) vaccine; and 3.02.1.5.1 A
history of disease may be accepted in lieu of receiving the Varicella
vaccine.
3.02.1.5.2 The history of
disease must be provided by a medical doctor (MD), advanced practice nurse
(APN), doctor of osteopathy (DO), or physician assistant (PA).
3.02.1.5.3 No student, parent, or guardian
history of varicella disease will be accepted (See Table I).
3.02.1.6 One dose of Hepatitis A
vaccine.
3.02.2 For
students entering into grades One through Twelve (1-12)
3.02.2.1 No fewer than three doses of
3.02.2.1.1 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Acellular
Pertussis (DTaP);
3.02.1.1.2
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTP);
3.02.1.1.3 Diphtheria/Tetanus (DT
pediatric);
3.02.1.1.4
Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td-adult); or
3.02.1.1.5 Tetanus/Diphtheria/Acellular
Pertussis (Tdap).
3.02.2.2 One dose of
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) for students who are eleven (11)
years old as of September 1, and for students older than eleven (11) years if
the student has not received the dose of Tdap at age eleven.
3.02.2.2.1 If a student is unvaccinated and
age seven (7) or older, the student must receive one dose of
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) and two doses of
Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td-adult).
3.02.2.2.2 Students who cannot document prior
vaccination must be vaccinated as stated in Section 3.02.2.2.1.
3.02.2.3 At least three doses of
Polio vaccine, with the final dose received after 4 years of age;
3.02.2.4 Two doses of Measles/Mumps/Rubella
(MMR) vaccine;3.02.2.4.1 If a student has
previously received two doses of measles, one dose of mumps and one dose of
rubella before January 1, 2010, the doses will be accepted as compliant to
immunization requirements and 2 MMRs are not required.
3.02.2.5 Two doses of Varicella (chickenpox)
vaccine; 3.02.2.5.1 A documented history of
disease may be accepted in lieu of receiving the Varicella vaccine.
3.02.2.5.2 The history of disease must be
provided by a medical doctor (MD), advanced practice nurse (APN), doctor of
osteopathy (DO), or physician assistant (PA).
3.02.2.5.3 No student, parent, or guardian
history of varicella disease will be accepted (See Table I).
3.02.2.6 No fewer than two doses
of Hepatitis B vaccine;
3.02.2.7
Meningococcal vaccine;3.02.2.7.1 Each student
must have one dose to enroll in Seventh Grade.
3.02.2.7.2 Each student age sixteen (16) on
September 1 must receive a second dose, unless the first dose was administered
at age sixteen (16) or older.3.02.2.7.2.1 If
the first vaccine is administered at age sixteen (16) or older, no second dose
is required.
3.02.2.8 Each student must receive at least
one dose of Hepatitis A to enroll in First Grade.
3.03 If a student has not met the
immunization requirements for enrolling in a public school, the student should
be referred to a medical authority, such as a private doctor or the health
department, for immunization or consultation.
3.04 A school may temporarily admit a student
if: 3.04.1 The student is in the process of
receiving the needed doses of the required vaccines; or
3.04.1.1 If a student is admitted and is in
the process of completing the required minimum immunizations, the school shall
require the student to complete the required doses on schedule.
3.04.1.2 The school shall keep a written
statement from a medical professional verifying that the student is in the
process of completing the required minimum immunizations and stating a date
when the student must receive the next immunization.
3.04.1.3 For purposes of these Rules, "in
process" means the student has received at least one dose of the required
immunizations and is waiting the minimum time interval to receive the
additional doses.
3.04.2
The student has applied for an exemption for the vaccines the student has not
received within thirty (30) calendar days after the child's admission, or by
October 1 for Tdap and Meningococcal at age eleven and sixteen.
3.05 If the student does not
provide documentation under...
