Immunization and Vaccine Information

  • Like all states, Montana has immunization laws that require school age children to have certain immunizations in order to attend school.  
     
    Before your child attends Missoula County Public Schools, please do the following on or before the first day of their school attendance:  
     
    Documentation:  Bring one of the following to the school.
    • Documentation from a health care provider, health department or official state immunization registry listing the types and full dates of all immunizations your child has received.  This should be signed, stamped and dated or otherwise clearly indicate what health care provider it is from.
    • A State of Montana Certificate of Immunization (blue form) that has been completed and signed by a health care provider or health department.   
    The school will review the documentation.  If your child is missing any immunizations, they will need to get those immunizations before starting school.
     
    Conditional Attendance:  If immunizations had been delayed or gotten off recommended schedules, some children may need more than one vaccine of the same type in order to attend school.  However, vaccines also need to meet certain spacing and timing rules.  The student may attend school on a "conditional" basis as long as they have received at least one vaccine of each type and will continue to receive the remaining doses.  The Conditional Attendance Form  must be completed by a physician or a health department official.
     
    Exemptions:  Exemptions are an authorized reason for not being fully immunized but being allowed to attend school as per state law.  Montana law does not allow a "personal exemption" but does allow medical and religious exemptions.  
    • Medical Exemption: Must be completed by a physician and done only in cases where there is a medical contraindication.  The exemption will specify what vaccine(s) is being exempted and for how long.  
    • Religious Exemption:  The parent must sign this form in the presence of a notary and bring the notarized and completed form to the school at the start of each school year.  The form must indicate which vaccines are being exempted.
     

Forms

Helpful Links

Immunization Requirements

  • Children should be immunized against the following communicable diseases. FOR SCHOOL ENTRY, the minimum requirements are:

     

    VACCINE

    PRESCHOOL1

    KINDERGARTEN - 12TH GRADE

     

    Haemophilus influenza Type B

    (Hib)

    1 dose  (given on or after the 1st

    birthday, unless child is older than

    59 months)2

     

     

    None Needed

     

    Diphtheria, Tetanus, and

    Pertussis (DTaP, DT, Td, Tdap)

     

     

    4 doses

    5 doses ( 4 doses only if 4th dose given on or after 4th birthday)3,4

    Plus

    1 dose of Tdap (prior to entering 7th grade)6

     

    Polio (IPV or OPV)

     

    3 doses

     

    4 doses (3 doses only if 3rd dose given on or after 4th birthday)

     

    Measles, Mumps, and Rubella

    (MMR)

     

    1 dose (dose must be given on or after 1st birthday)

     

    2 doses (first dose must be given on or after 1st birthday, and spacing between doses is 4 weeks)

     

    Varicella “chickenpox”

    (Var)

     

    1 dose (dose must be given on or after 1st birthday)6

    2 doses (first dose must be given on or after 1st birthday, spacing between doses is 12 weeks for children under 13 years, and 4 weeks for those older than 13 years)5,6

     

    1 Per MCA 20-5-402 a preschool is defined as a facility that provides, on a regular basis and as its primary purpose, educational instruction designed for children 5 years of age or younger and that: (a) serves no child under 5 years of age for more than 3 hours a day; and (b) serves no child 5 years of age for more than 6 hours a day.  

    2Hib vaccine is not recommended for children older than 59 months.

    3DT vaccine administered to pupils less than seven years of age is acceptable only if accompanied by a medical exemption that exempts the pupil from pertussis vaccination per ARM 37.114.705.

    4A pupil 7 years or older who has not completed the DTaP requirement must receive additional doses of Td/Tdap vaccine to reach a minimum of 3 doses of any combination of DTaP, Td, Tdap or DTP per ARM 37.114.705.

    5While it is not recommended, if a child younger than 13 years receives their second dose of varicella at an interval of 4 weeks or longer, the dose does not need to be repeated.

    6As of October 1, 2015 pupils are required to have varicella vaccine and all pupils 7th-12th grade must have a Tdap vaccine.

    Note: A four day grace period may apply, as appropriate, per the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) recommendations.