What vaccines are required for children going back to school in Missouri and Kansas?

Kynala Phillips, Joseph Hernandez
·6 min read
19

August means back-to-school time is approaching.

And that means many students are due for required vaccinations.

Missouri and Kansas require kids to receive certain immunizations before they can go to school in person. Public health officials say it is one of the best tools to prevent the spread of disease.

Parents should not wait too long to schedule immunizations for their children, Kansas City Health Department Director Dr. Marvia Jones said Thursday. It can take time to get all of the required vaccinations done and schools won’t allow children to attend until they get their entire list of vaccinations.

Jones said it’s also important to remember that when students advance to a new school — for example, starting middle school or high school — parents should check with their school or healthcare provider to see if new immunizations are needed.

“If you have a child that’s transitioning, now is a good time to take a look at their shot records and see what’s next,” Jones said. “The more that we can have people vaccinated, the better we are protected.”

“Unfortunately, some things that were in the past eradicated, [like polio], we’re starting to see some of these diseases come back,” Jones said. “So we are just trying to reassure people these are safe [vaccines] and have been for a very long time.”

Here’s what you need to know about what vaccines are required at Missouri and Kansas schools, what exemptions exist and where parents can get their children vaccinated.

The following vaccine requirements apply to all schools in Missouri and Kansas, public or private, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

What vaccines are required for students in Missouri schools?

If you’re in Missouri, your child needs the following to go to school:

  • Five doses of DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) when or after the child turns 4 years old. The child will need another dose of pediatric pertussis before the seventh birthday.

  • Four polio vaccinations and one of the vaccinations has to come when or after they turn 4 years old.

  • Four MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations. Like the other vaccines, one has to come when or after they turn 4 years old.

  • Three Hepatitis B vaccines

  • Two doses of the varicella vaccine

  • One dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) is required after your child reaches 10 years old. Another dose is required once the child reaches 16 years old.

What vaccines are required for students in Kansas schools?

Kansas requires the same immunizations, but at different times:

  • Five DTap vaccinations, but the fifth dose isn’t required if your child received one at the age of 4 or older. One more dose of the DTaP vaccine will be required when the child enters the seventh grade.

  • Four Poliomyelitis (IPV/OPV) vaccines. The fourth dose isn’t required if your child received one after they turned 4 years old and at least six months have passed since they got the second dose.

  • Three doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine

  • Two doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine

  • Two MMR vaccines

  • Two varicella vaccines

  • Two doses of the Meningococcal-Serogroup A,C,W,Y (MenACWY). One dose is required for 11 and 12-year-old students entering the seventh grade and another for 16 to 18-year-olds entering the 11th grade. If a 16 or 18-year-old child has no previous record of this vaccine, only one dose is required.

Are COVID-19 or flu vaccines required?

No. Missouri and Kansas do not require COVID-19 or flu vaccines.

Can I exempt my child from being vaccinated?

Missouri and Kansas recognize religious and medical exemptions for parents who don’t want to vaccinate their kids.

Parents requesting an exemption for their child must provide the school with a medical exemption form or a religious exemption form.

What is a medical exemption?

To get a medical exemption, you’ll have to get a written statement signed by a licensed doctor stating that the required vaccines would seriously endanger the life or health of the student.

You’ll mark what vaccine your child is being exempt from and the doctor will sign it on the Missouri form or the Kansas form.

What is a religious exemption?

To exempt a child from vaccinations for religious purposes, you’ll need to sign a written statement that your religion doesn’t allow your child to be vaccinated.

The religious exemption can apply to one or all vaccinations. The written note for Missouri residents has to be obtained from a local public health agency or the state bureau of immunizations. It only needs one signature from a parent or guardian, not a doctor.

There’s no statewide religious exemption form in Kansas. Instead, it’s up to individual school districts to provide an official form or require a written statement signed by a parent or guardian.

“A parent would send a letter to the school stating that they are an adherent of a religion that is opposed to vaccinations and that signed record will be kept with the school,” Johnson County Immunization Program Manager Ranae Allen told The Star.

How can I get my child’s immunization records?

If you’re unsure if your child is up-to-date on their vaccines, you can call your health provider to receive a copy of their records.

Children’s Mercy has a form online that you can fill out to request documents or if you want your physician to send your child’s medical records to Children’s Mercy.

The Kansas City Health Department can help some families obtain immunization records if they received care from a doctor who reports to the state’s ShowMeVax database.

WHERE CAN I GET MY CHILD VACCINATED?

You can either set up an appointment with your child’s doctor to get them vaccinated before school starts, or take them to one of these clinics around Kansas City.

Kansas City Health Department, 2400 Troost Ave.

The health department accepts walk-ins, but urges families to call 816-513-6108 to make an appointment.

The health department is also hosting a few back-to-school events where families will be able to get their students vaccinated.

The first event is scheduled from 2 to 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at Northland Neighborhoods Inc., 5340 Chouteau Trafficway. Another is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Mohart Center, 3200 Wayne Ave. The Kansas City Health Department’s Back to School Bash is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 19 at the health department.

Jackson County Health Department, 313 Liberty St., Independence.

The Jackson County Health Department requires that families schedule an appointment. You can schedule an appointment here or call 816-404-6415.

Clay County Public Health Center, 800 Haines Dr., Liberty.

Call 816-595-4355 to make an appointment.

Platte County Health Department, 1201 East St., Parkville.

Call 816-587-5998 to set up an appointment.

Johnson County Department of Health and Environment:

Visit the health department’s locations at 11875 S. Sunset Dr., Suite 300 in Olathe, or 6000 Lamar Ave. in Mission.

They take walk-in appointments.

Wyandotte County Health Department, 619 Ann Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

Call 913-573-8855 to set up an appointment.