Vaccination Requirements for Students to Attend Public School Set by State Law, not Federal Guidance

By Albemarle County Public Schools

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) reminds families that student vaccination requirements are mandated by the Code of Virginia and remain unchanged, following questions prompted by new federal guidance related to childhood immunizations.

“Albemarle County Public Schools is required to follow the vaccine mandates as specified in the Code of Virginia,” noted Eileen Gomez, ACPS Coordinator of Nursing and Health Services.
Specifically, Virginia law requires vaccines for public school attendance and specifies exactly which immunizations students must receive. Those requirements are determined at the state level and are not set by the federal government or by local school divisions.

Under Virginia law, all public school divisions are required to enforce the state’s immunization mandates as a condition of enrollment. Neither the School Board nor division administration has the authority to modify, add or remove any of the vaccine requirements established by the Commonwealth.

The requirements are administered by the Virginia Department of Health and apply uniformly to all public school divisions across the state.

Virginia law allows limited exemptions from immunization requirements. Medical exemptions may be granted when a physician, registered nurse, licensed healthcare provider or local health department determines that a vaccine may be harmful to a student’s health. Religious exemptions are permitted when a parent or guardian submits a notarized affidavit stating that immunization conflicts with their religious beliefs. Students with approved exemptions may be excluded from school during outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, as directed by public health officials.

School nurses review immunization records, notify families of missing documentation and provide information about accessing required vaccines through health care providers and public health clinics.

Families with questions are encouraged to contact their school nurse or consult information provided by the Virginia Department of Health.