Pupils who enter the district schools for the first time shall have a medical examination conducted at the medical home of the student, and a full report sent to the school. If a student does not have a medical home, the district shall provide this examination at the school physician’s office or other appropriately equipped facility. “Medical home” means a health care provider and that provider’s practice site chosen by the student’s parent/guardian for the provision of health care. As the school physician is also a health care provider, the parent/guardian may request that the school physician provide the medical examination.

A pupil shall be exempted from mandatory immunization if the parent/guardian objects to immunization in a written statement submitted to the principal, signed by the parent/guardian, explaining how the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with the pupil’s exercise of bona fide religious tenets or practices. General philosophical or moral objection to immunization shall not be sufficient for an exemption on religious grounds.

Every pupil who enters the district schools for the first time shall present an immunization record as required by law. At the parent/guardian’s request, these immunizations may be administered by the school physician.

In order to protect the health of the children and staff in district schools, all regulations of the state department of education, the state department of health and the local board of health shall be scrupulously observed, particularly those dealing with contagious/infectious diseases or conditions. Pupils seeking to enter school who have been identified as having a communicable/infectious disease or condition shall not be enrolled unless they qualify under the above agencies’ rules pertaining to periods of incubation, communicability, quarantine and reporting.

The chief school administrator or his/her designee shall formulate regulations that ensure immunization records are reviewed and updated annually pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:57-4.1 through 4.16. The chief school administrator shall also formulate regulations for this policy and for regular pupil health examinations at appropriate grade levels; before participation in sports programs; and for tuberculosis, scoliosis, hearing loss, visual acuity and any other physical examinations required by law. Any health defects revealed by any examination given by the school health services must be reported to the parent/guardian. The board shall review the regulations and adopt those required by law.

Parent/Guardian Notice

In accordance with federal law, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), parents/guardians shall be notified annually of the opportunity for the parent/guardian to opt the student out of any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening that is:

A. Required as a condition of attendance;

B. Administered by the school and scheduled by the school in advance; and

C. Not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student, or of other students.

NJSBA Review/Update: January 2009, October 2017
Adopted: January 21, 2009
Revised/Readopted: April 26, 2017
Reviewed:

Key Words

Immunizations, Inoculations, Examinations, Pupil Physical Examinations, Student Physical Examinations, Health

Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:35 4.6
through 4.8 Parents Right to Conscience Act of 1979
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 4 Examination for physical defects and screening of hearing of pupils; health records
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 4.3 Scoliosis; periodic examination; notice to parents or guardian
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 4.4 Exemption
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 4.5 Immunity from action of any kind due to provisions of act
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 5 Method of examination; notice to parent or guardian
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 6 In general
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 11 Exclusion of pupils having communicable tuberculosis
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 16
through 19 Tuberculosis infection; determination of presence …
N.J.S.A. 18A:40 20 Immunization at public expense
N.J.S.A. 18A:61D-8
through 10 Findings, declarations relative to Hepatitis B vaccinations….
N.J.S.A. 26:1A 9.1 Exemption of pupils from mandatory immunizations
N.J.S.A. 26:4 6 Prohibiting attendance of teachers or pupils
N.J.S.A. 26:2T-5
through 9 Findings, declarations relative to Hepatitis C
N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.4 Evaluation
N.J.A.C. 6A:16-1.1et seq. Programs to Support Student Development
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:16-1.3,
-2.1, -2.2, -2.3, -2.4,
-4.1, -4.3
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-9.1 Athletics Procedures
N.J.A.C. 8:57 2 Reporting of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and
infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.1 Applicability
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.2 Proof of immunization
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.3 Medical exemptions
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.4 Religious exemptions
N.J.A.C. 8:57-4.5 Provisional admission
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.6 Documents accepted as evidence of immunization
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.7 Records required
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.8 Reports to be sent to the State Department of Health
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.9 Records available for inspection
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.10 Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.11 Poliovirus vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.12 Measles virus vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.13 Rubella vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.14 Mumps vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.15 Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.16 Hepatitis B virus vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.17 Varicella virus vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.18 Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.19 Influenza vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.20 Meningococcal vaccine
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.21 Providing immunization
N.J.A.C. 8:57 4.22 Emergency power of the Commissioner, Department of
Health and Senior
N.J.A.C. 8:61 2.1 Attendance at school by students or adults infected by Human Immuno deficiency Virus (HIV)

20 U.S.C.A. 1232h Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment

Plainfield Board of Education v. Cooperman, 105 NJ 587 (1987)

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 , Pub. L. 114-95, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.

Possible
Cross References: *1410 Local units
*4123 Classroom aides
*5111 Admission
*5113 Absences and excuses
*5131.6 Drugs, alcohol, tobacco (substance abuse)
*5141 Health
*5141.21 Administering medication
*5200 Nonpublic school pupils
*6142.4 Physical education and health
*6145.1/6145.2 Intramural competition; interscholastic competition
*6162.5 Research
*6164.4 Child study team
*6171.4 Special education

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.