Even though it feels like summer just started, the next school year will be here before you know it. One part of being prepared for school means being up-to-date on Iowa’s health and vaccination requirements for school enrollment.
Kindergarten: There are five required vaccines to enroll in kindergarten: DTaP, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B and Varicella.
Seventh Grade: The Tdap booster and Meningococcal vaccine are required. The HPV vaccine is strongly recommended.
12th Grade: Two doses of the Meningococcal vaccine are required.
If your child does not have the required vaccinations, he or she might be withheld from school until the child gets them.
It is also required that students have proof of vision screenings if enrolling in kindergarten or third grade and proof of dental screenings if enrolling in kindergarten or ninth grade.
To learn more about student health requirements for schools, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.
The Dallas County Public Health Department offers back-to-school immunizations through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. In order to qualify for VFC, your child must be Medicaid enrolled, uninsured, underinsured or American Indian or Alaskan Native.
To schedule an appointment, call our department at 515-993-3750. Spots are limited and fill up quickly, so plan ahead.
Even if your children are not entering one of the grades with health requirements, now is a good time to schedule their yearly check-ups with their physician, eye doctor and a bi-annual visit with their dentist to ensure they are healthy and ready for the school year.
Natalie Peters is the community health educator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
