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Immunization Requirements

Before a child may attend school, the family must provide a Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) form to staff. This form shows the child’s vaccinations or proof of immunity to disease.

There are a couple of ways families can submit a valid CIS form:

  • Families can print their child’s CIS by following the instructions on Access Your Family’s Immunization Information
  • Families can ask a healthcare provider to print out a CIS form for them.
  • Families can ask their school to print out a CIS form for them. Not all schools can do this, so make sure to ask ahead of time.
  • Families can fill out the CIS form themselves and attach medically verified records showing immunization using the following methods:
    • Official lifetime immunization record with a provider stamp or signature.
    • Official immigration immunization record.
    • Immunization records printed from a healthcare provider, clinic, or hospital.
    • Written immunization record with a provider stamp or signature.
    • Immunization records printed from the Washington Immunization Information System (WA IIS).


CERTIFICATE OF IMMUNIZATION STATUS
A Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) is the form Washington State requires parents/guardians to complete for each student.  This form is available under the Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) tab through the Department of Health.    

ACCESS YOUR FAMILY'S IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION
Sign up for MyIR to view, download and print your family's immunization records securely online through the Department of Health. Once you register, you can access the records anytime you need them. You can also print your child's Certificate of Immunization Status for school, child care and camp programs.

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
Details about Washington State Immunization Requirements are available through the Department of Health.

Bainbridge Island School District uses the Washington Immunization Information System (WAIIS), a lifetime immunization record, to monitor student immunization compliance. Only medically verified immunization records are accepted.

 

CERTIFICATE OF EXEMPTIONS

If a parent/guardian wants to exempt a student from receiving immunizations, a Certificate of Exemption (COE) must be completed by the parent and healthcare provider and turn it in to the school before the student can start school. This form is available under the School and Child Care Exemptions from Immunization Requirements tab through the Department of Health.

Updated 02/2023

Washington State DOH Immunization Registry FAQs

  • The Washington State Immunization Registry is an online system which houses immunization records for people of all ages. Pharmacies, clinics, and medical providers use it to record immunizations given. People and their medical providers then have an accessible ongoing record. Most children born and/or vaccinated in Washington already have their information in the state immunization registry.  The Immunization Registry allows users to view and print their vaccination records via MyIR. School health nurses can confidentially and efficiently check student vaccination records. They save time and avoid duplicating efforts by using a universal system. 

  • Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, BISD is transitioning to using the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Immunization Registry. This allows school health staff to confidentially and efficiently check student vaccination records. School health staff confirm that your student's information is accurate, and if needed, update your student's immunization record. In order to do this, school health staff need:

    1.  medically verified records per State law (enacted August 1, 2020)
    2. permission from the student's parent/guardian in order to update the student's DOH Immunization Record (aka MyIR).  If a student does not have a record, one can be created.

    School health nurses can confidentially and efficiently check student vaccination records. They save time and avoid duplicating efforts by using a universal system. School health staff can update students' Immunization Records as well.  

  • "Medically verified" means that an immunization record is confirmed as accurate by the provider who gave the immunization(s). Here are some examples of medically verified immunization records: 

    • A medical record from a health care provider with their name and signature

    • An immunization record printed from a clinic or hospital's electronic health system

    • A medical record with an official health facility or provider logo/stamp

    • A document from another U.S. state or territorial immunization registry

    • An official lifetime immunization record with a unique health care provider/clinic stamp, or provider signature

    • For foreign students: a translated official immunization record such as an immigration form or lifetime immunization record from the home country with a clinic or health care provider stamp

  • In most cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends repeating the vaccine if there is no medically verified record that the vaccine was given. A titer test may be available to check whether your child is immune to the disease. Consult with your healthcare provider for the best option for your child.More information about Washington State vaccine requirements can be found at the Washington State Department of Health website.

  • The WA DOH Immunization Registry can be directly accessed by parents/guardians/students using MyIR. This is helpful when needing a record of one’s lifetime vaccinations now or in the future.

  • Skipping vaccinations or missing vaccine doses makes it more likely that your child can get sick or give an illness to someone else. 

    In Washington, all children 18-years old or younger may get vaccines at low or no cost from their health care provider or county health department. Providers may charge an office visit fee and a fee to give the vaccine, called an administration fee. If you cannot pay the administration fee, ask your provider to waive the cost.