Requirements for the 2022-2023 School Year

Before entering or attending school in Florida (K-12), each child must provide a Florida Certification of Immunization, DH680 documenting that the student has met the following minimum state requirements: 

• Four to five doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine (DTP) 

• Three to five doses of polio vaccine  

• Two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) 

• Two or three doses of hepatitis B vaccine  

• Two doses of varicella vaccine (kindergarten effective school year 2001/2002, then each year an additional grade) 

• Seventh Grade or above: In addition to all other compulsory school immunizations, children entering, attending, or transferring to the seventh grade in Florida schools are required to complete one dose of tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine (Tdap). 

*The fifth dose of DTaP vaccine is not necessary if the fourth dose was administered at age 4 years or older.
**If four or more doses are administered before age 4 years, an additional dose should be administered at age 4 through 6 years and at least six months after the previous dose. A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 years or older and at least six months after the previous dose.
***Varicella vaccine is not required if varicella disease is documented by the health care provider

 

Immunization Waivers

If your child has a medical or religious exemption and did not receive all required vaccinations for school, please review this communication from the Florida Department of Health – Pasco that reviews your community responsibilities.

Students who are enrolling, and who have previously attended school in Florida, are granted a 30-day period of time for their previous records to arrive.  Schools will have the parent complete a *30-day waiver form.  Parent/guardian agrees that when records from the previous school arrive if the vaccination record is incomplete or cannot be located, they must provide proof of immunization for their child.

Note: *30-day waivers are not applicable for first-time enrollees. Homeless students or children of active military personnel are the only exemptions to this rule.

Recommended Childhood Immunizations Schedule from the FDOH link 

Information on Exemption from Required Immunization (FDOH) link 

Vaccine Safety link  

 

School Entry Health Examination 

Students in grades prekindergarten through 12 grade who are making their initial entry into a Florida school must present a record of a physical examination completed within the past 12 months. The school entry health exam must be completed by a health care provider licensed (M.D., D.O., P.A., A.R.N.P., or Chiropractor) to perform a physical examination in the United States and should be provided to the child's school upon enrollment. Although a specific form is not required, it is recommended that Florida's standardized School Entry Health Exam form (DH3040-CHP-07/2013) be used to document the completion of a physical examination.  

For students transferring to a Florida school, a comparable form from another state would also be acceptable, if performed by a health care provider licensed to perform physical exams and completed within one year before enrollment. 

• School Entry Health Exam Form: DH3040-CHP-07-2013 Form 
• School Entry Health Exam Instructions: DH3040-CHP-07/2013 Instructions 

Homeless students or children of active military personnel are provided a 30-day grace period to comply.  

 

Emergency Cards:

Emergency cards are now housed in MyStudent and are accessible through your MyStudent parent portal. They are to be completed on an annual basis at the beginning of the school year or upon entry to school. Parent/guardian must complete the consent portion of the emergency card for their child to receive school health services for further information related to consent for school health services see Pasco County's Parent bill of rights website at link.  

 

Pre-Kindergarten or Childcare Requirements

Prior to entry into Florida childcare facilities and Early Headstart/Headstart programs children shall have a Florida Certification of Immunization (Form DH 680) on file documenting age-appropriate immunizations of the following vaccines:

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13)+
• Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTaP) vaccine
• Polio vaccine (IPV)
• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Varicella vaccine++ (chickenpox)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine
• Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine

+Effective January 1, 2012, PCV is required for children 0-59 months.
++Varicella vaccine is not required if varicella disease is documented by the health care provider

 

Recommended Adolescent Vaccination

The meningococcal vaccine can protect against bacterial meningitis which is a serious and highly contagious infection that can become deadly in a short period of time. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that adolescents receive initial vaccination at age 11 or 12 years, with a booster at age 16.  View the special prevention message from the Florida Department of Health - Pasco County.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine can protect against the types of HPV that cause most cervical or anal cancers. The CDC recommends that this vaccination be given to both boys and girls at age 11 or 12, in a series of three doses over a period of 6 months. Teens and young adults who have not yet received the HPV vaccine or who have not finished the series of shots, should talk with their parents and/or the doctor about getting those shots now.

The flu vaccine protects against 3 influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming flu season. Most people sick with the flu will recover in a few days to less than 2 weeks; however, flu is unpredictable. The CDC recommends that everyone, 6 months of age and older, receive a flu vaccine each year. Preteens and teens should get a flu vaccine in the fall or as soon as it is available each year.

 

Supervisor: Amy Ponce MSN, RN
Secretary: Heather Winkler
Contact: (813) 794-2360

Updated: 07/19/2022