Sports and Immunizations

Email of the Day:
My sons are participating in sports at Local HS this year, which has seen an influx of such students this year. They are telling us it is required to submit their immunization status for the registration of those students. The main reason, we are told, is “wouldn’t we want to know the athletes they are competing with and against are also up to date on their immunizations?” This doesn’t make sense to several of us because we don’t believe this is the requirement in all WIAA districts. Is this a requirement? We want to make sure we have the facts before going back to the registrar and/or elevating it to the district level. Thanks.

Answer:
This one is less about WIAA regulations and more to do with the WA law regulating immunizations, RCW 28A.210.080 “(1) The attendance of every child at every public and private school in the state and licensed day care center shall be conditioned upon the presentation before or on each child’s first day of attendance at a particular school or center, of proof of either (a) full immunization, (b) the initiation of and compliance with a schedule of immunization, as required by rules of the state board of health, or (c) a certificate of exemption as provided for in RCW 28A.210.090.”
Participation in sports falls under the part time attendance and/or ancillary services in RCW 28A.150.350 (and is a named ancillary service in the WAC 392-134-005).
The HBI law requires the immunization records (or exemption) as part of enrolling (RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b) Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers.

They should have done this right at start, as part of the enrollment for the ancillary service of participating in sports.

Warmly,
~Jen