Pullman Public Schools

All Washington State Public Schools are required to meet the student immunization guidelines from the Washington State Department of Health.

Parents are required a medically verified immunization record for their student. Medically verified is defined as:
A Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) printed from the Immunization Information System (IIS) or from "MyIR" - databases that medical providers often use, OR;
A physical copy of the CIS form with a healthcare provider signature, OR;
A physical copy of the CIS with accompanying medical immunization records from a healthcare provider verified and signed by a Pullman Public Schools nurse.

Lifetime immunization records may be attached to a hardcopy CIS for medical verification. To be acceptable, the record must come from a medical source or include the signature of a health provider or a unique healthcare provider stamp).

If you cannot find record of immunizations, please check with our district nurse, Michelle Hyatt, who can search the WA Immunization Information System (IIS).

We encourage families to plan ahead! Please consider reaching out to your student's medical provider to request a copy of immunization records. A copy of the student's medically verified immunization record can be uploaded into the online enrollment application. Families may also mail in or drop off a physical copy of the immunization record at the student's assigned school.

Immunization records are required and students will be ineligible to attend school if appropriate records are not provided.

Families Experiencing Homelessness: Students experiencing homelessness are not subject to provide required documents. Visit our McKinney-Vento Program webpage for more information.

From the Department of Health:

"Children may begin school or child care only if they received all of the required immunizations that are due to receive and submitted medically verified records on or before the first day of attendance.

If additional immunizations are needed after receiving all immunizations they are eligible to receive before starting school, children may start school or childcare in conditional status and remain until the next dose becomes due. Children will then have 30 calendar days to turn in updated records showing they received the missing doses. If additional doses are due, conditional status continues until all required immunizations are complete. If the 30 days expire without updated records, the child must be excluded from further attendance."

Immunizations FAQ

Schedule an appointment at your child's clinic for the spring or early summer so your child is caught up on immunizations and ready for the start of school. You may also call the Whitman County Health Department at (509) 332-6752. Another option is to use EasyVax Scheduler to find other places that vaccinate near you, such as pharmacies.
This website has information about how to access your vaccination records in the state registry called the WA Immunization Information System, including accessing MyIR.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends re-vaccination if a person has lost their records. Your child may also get a blood test to determine immunity for some diseases. Check with your child's doctor or clinic to find out what they recommend. You may also check to see if your child has any records in the state registry by using the personal registry portal, MyIR.
There are a couple of changes that affect exemptions
- The rule was updated to align with a recent law change that removed personal/philosophical exemptions for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
- The rule also removes the need for parents or guardians to specify their religious membership on the Certificate of Exemption for a religious membership exemption.
When a child is excluded, they are not allowed to attend school/childcare. RCW 28A.210.120 states that children who are out of compliance shall be prohibited from attending school or childcare centers. Until a child has paperwork that shows they comply with the law, they are considered out of compliance.
Immunization paperwork must be turned in to the school or childcare on or before the child's first day of attendance. The CIS is usually collected as part of the registration process.
Health care providers may send a medically verified Certificate of Immunization Status directly to the school or childcare. This is allowable under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule with verbal or written agreement from the parent or guardian.
Parents of new students, or students with updated immunization records, must provide a medically verified immunization record for their student.
Students enrolled at a public or private school participating in alternative school programs must follow the same immunization rules as all other students. They need a completed Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) and/or Certificate of Exemption (COE) on file at the school or district program.
There are no special provisions or exceptions for students being served under special education. Immunization compliance for school attendance is outlined in state law. Schools are encouraged to work with families to ensure that students continue to receive necessary services identified in their IEP.
International students, even those only attending school for a short time, must comply with the immunization requirements and have a CIS and/or Certificate of Exemption (COE) on file at the school.
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has contact information for each of the US immunization registries.
The Washington Immunization Information System (WA IIS) started about 25 years ago and it is used by almost all providers who give childhood vaccines. It is specific to Washington state. If you are unable to find the record you are looking for, please check with your healthcare provider to see if they are putting information into the WA IIS. If you have medically verified vaccination records from another state or country or from before the system was in use, bring those records to your healthcare provider. Medically verified records can be added to the WA IIS by your healthcare provider so it will be easier to find them in the future.
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. If that is not an option, a titer test may be available to check whether you are immune to the disease. Consult with your healthcare provider for the best option for you.
It's easy to overlook the benefits of vaccination when we rarely see people sick with some of the diseases that vaccines prevent. But the decision not to immunize a child involves risk. Choosing not to immunize puts the child and others at risk of getting a dangerous disease that could be deadly. Immunization is the single most important way parents can protect their children against serious diseases, and it's reasonable to ask questions about it. If you have questions or concerns about immunizations, it is important to talk with your child's healthcare provider. You can also learn more about vaccination and the risks and benefits of both choices in Plain Talk About Childhood Immunization (PDF).
If you have questions about the immunization requirements you can email OICPSchools@doh.wa.gov.