Departments

Health

Immunizations

Students must be immunized against certain communicable diseases. Students are prohibited from attending school unless immunization requirements are met for age and grade. The school district shall cooperate with local health officials in measures necessary for the prevention and control of communicable diseases in school age children. The school may use any funds, property, or personnel and may permit any person licensed as a physician or registered nurse to administer an immunizing agent to any student whose parents have consented in writing.

Beginning January 1, 2016, parents of students in any school, will no longer be allowed to submit a personal beliefs exemption to a currently required vaccine. A personal beliefs exemption on file at school prior to January 1, 2016 will continue to be valid until the student enters the next grade span at kindergarten (including transitional kindergarten) or 7th grade.

Students are not required to have immunizations if they attend a home-based private school or an independent study program and do not receive classroom-based instruction. However, parents must continue to provide immunizations records for these students to their schools. The immunization requirements do not prohibit students from accessing special education and related services required by their individualized education programs.

A student not fully immunized may be temporarily excluded from a school or other institution when that child has been exposed to a specified disease and whose documentary proof of immunization status does not show proof of immunization against one of the communicable diseases described above.

Medication Regimen

The parent or legal guardian of any pupil taking medication on a regular basis must inform the school nurse or [other contact person] of the medication being taken, the current dosage, and the name of the supervising physician. With the consent of the parent or legal guardian, the school nurse may communicate with the physician and may counsel with the school personnel regarding the possible effects of the medication on the pupil.

Administration of Prescribed Medication for Pupils

Any pupil who is required to take, during the regular school day, medication prescribed by a physician or surgeon, may be assisted by the school nurse or other designated school personnel or may carry and self-administer auto-injectible epinephrine or inhaled asthma medication if the school district receives both a written statement of instructions from the physician detailing the method, amount and time schedules by which such mediation is to be taken and a written statement from the parent or guardian requesting the school district assist the pupil with prescribed medication as set forth in the physician statement. 

Administration of Epilepsy Medication

If a pupil with epilepsy has been prescribed an emergency antiseizure medication by his or her health care provider, the pupil’s parent or guardian may request the pupil’s school to have one or more of its employees receive training in the administration of an emergency antiseizure medication in the event that the pupil suffers a seizure when a nurse is not available.

Physical Examinations

A parent or guardian may file annually with the school principal a written statement, signed by the parent or legal guardian, withholding consent to a physical examination of the pupil. However, whenever there is good reason to believe that the pupil is suffering from a recognized contagious or
infectious disease, the pupil shall be sent home and shall not be permitted to return until school authorities are satisfied that the contagious or infectious disease no longer exists.

Sex & HIV/AIDS Education

A parent or guardian of a pupil has the right to excuse their child from all or part of comprehensive sexual health education, HIV/AIDS prevention education, and assessments related to that education. For more information on the content and schedule for sexual health education, as well as procedures for excusing students from participation, please contact the school site. Anonymous, voluntary, and confidential research and evaluation tools to measure pupils’ health behaviors and risks, including tests, questionnaires, and surveys containing age – appropriate questions about the pupil’s attitudes concerning or practices relating to sex may be administered to any pupil in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, if the parent or guardian is notified in writing that this test, questionnaire, or survey is to be administered and the pupil’s parent or guardian is given the opportunity to review the test, questionnaire, or survey and to request in writing that his or her child not participate.

Safety

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting

How to File a Complaint of Child Abuse Committed at a School Site

Parents and guardians of pupils have the right to file a complaint against a school employee or other person that they suspect has engaged in abuse of a child at a school site. To file a complaint, the parent or guardian must file a formal report with an appropriate local law enforcement agency. An appropriate law enforcement agency may be one of the following:

  • A Police or Sheriff’s Department (not including a school district police department or school security department)
  • A County Probation Department if designated by the county to receive child abuse reports, or
  • A County Welfare Department/County Child Protective Services

The complaint may be filed over the telephone, in person, or in writing. A complaint may also be filed at the same time with your school district or county office of education. School districts and county offices of education, however, do not investigate child abuse allegations.

For more information on child abuse and child abuse reporting, visit the California Department of Education web site: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/ap/

Start typing and press enter to search