Immunizations

NYSED Guidelines

Immunization Guidelines for Schools (NYSED 6/2024)
The guidelines provide direction to schools on how to ensure students meet the immunization requirements and also address how to handle certain situations, including: Homeless Students, Students in Foster Care, Non-graded classes, and Refugee students. This document provides schools with directions for students not meeting the immunization requirements, along with documentation and record-keeping requirements.

FAQs - Vaccination Requirements Applicable to All Students (NYSED 10/2023)
Public Health Law §2164 applies to children attending all schools, including any public, private, or parochial child-care center, day nursery, daycare agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate, or secondary school.

NYSED Memos

Enrolling Refugee or Asylum-Seeking Students (NYSED 10/2/23)
Provides important information regarding the obligation of schools and districts to enroll students, including refugees or asylum seekers, pending receipt of their health records and to assist them in obtaining all necessary immunizations within the applicable time frame.

Educational Services for Recently Arrived Evacuees, Refugees, Immigrants, and/or Unaccompanied Children (NYSED 4/22)
Provides information on the McKinney - Vento Act in relation to immunizations.  

TB Testing and School Enrollment (NYSED 1/18/17)
There is no legal authority for a school district to require that a student receive tuberculosis testing (Education Law Article 19 and Public Health Law §2164), and schools may not delay or refuse to enroll a student until the results of tuberculosis testing are shared with the school. 

Immunization Certificates for High School Graduates (NYSED 11/17/11)
Encourages high schools to forward a copy of the student’s immunization certificate at the same time the final transcripts are sent to the college or university, as well as provide a copy to graduates to assist them in gaining employment or pursuing higher education at a later date.

Anaphylactic Agents by Registered Professional Nurses Utilizing Non-Patient Specific Orders and Protocols (NYSED 2/27/01)

NYSDOH Letters

Immunization Joint Letter NYSDOH & NYSED (NYSDOH, NYSED 12/7/22) 

2019 School Immunization Final Rule to Schools and Local Health Departments from the NYSDOH Bureau of Immunization (NYSDOH 1/9/20)

Note: each of the following FAQs contains different information.

Additional Guidance About Vaccination Requirements FAQs and Emergency Regulations (NYSDOH, OCFS, NYSED 8/16/19)  

Frequently Asked Questions About Legislation Removing Non-Medical Exemptions from School Vaccination Requirements (NYSDOH, OCFS, NYSED 6/18/19)

Polio Serology Letter to Schools (NYSDOH 6/8/2017)  
Letter to clarify the use of serologic testing to document polio immunity to meet school immunization requirements.

Retention Requirements for Student Immunization Records (NYSDOH 5/2007)
Provides guidance for the transfer and retention of immunization records.    

See Also:

Page Updated 2/11/25