WASHINGTON — If DC Public Schools students do not submit proof of vaccines by Friday, they will not be allowed to go to school.
A spokesperson for DCPS said this requirement is specifically for 6th through 12th graders.
The district has been extending the deadline for vaccines since the start of the school year, but it appears to be taking a harder line in a note sent out to families earlier in December.
This submission is for routine vaccines, like Tdap and meningitis. You can find the full list here.
The spokesperson said Friday that the COVID vaccine is not part of this requirement. That's even though the website still lists the COVID shot as being required for all students 12 and older.
DCPS said as of Dec. 5, approximately 2,500 students still have not submitted their proof of vaccine forms.
They said that is a marked decrease from the 6,800 students notified in November that their schools did not have them, but still a sizeable number.
In the December note to families, Chancellor Lewis Ferebee wrote, "I cannot stress with enough urgency the importance of having your student vaccinated. We do not want to exclude any student from school for being out of compliance. Please take this additional opportunity to ensure your child is up to date and able to be in school. Having all our students up to date on their pediatric immunizations will keep our school communities safe and healthy."
D.C. Health and Children's National have four high-volume vaccination clinics open Monday through Friday this week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. if your child still needs their shots.
Here's information on where you can find those clinics.
DCPS said they will start calling families on Monday to notify them their students are not in compliance and will be excluded from school Friday without the vaccination paperwork.
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