Charlie Crist
Governor
Ana M. Viamonte Ros, M.D., M.P.H.
State Surgeon General
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
July 18, 2008
DATE:
TO:
County Health Department Directors/Administrators
FROM:
Jean L. Kline, R.N., B.S.N., M.P.H.
Deputy Secretary for Health
Kindergarten and Seventh Grade Validation Assessment
SUBJECT:
School Year 2007-2008
FOR INFORMATION ONLY
In October of each year, all public and private schools submit reports regarding the
immunization status of their kindergarten and seventh grade students, as required by section
1003.22(8),
Florida Statutes
. County health departments (CHDs) and Department of Education
staff compile and send this information to the Bureau of Immunization (BOI) for tabulation.
In May, CHDs receive the results of the annual Kindergarten and Seventh Grade Immunization
Status Report. The immunization field staff conducts an annual validation assessment of
kindergarten and seventh grade students to evaluate the accuracy of the status report results
and to determine if any improvement in immunization levels occurred since the initial
assessment. This report addresses the findings of the validation assessment.
Method:
The BOI randomly selected 57 schools with a kindergarten and 57 schools with a seventh
grade. The immunization field staff then audited 569 kindergarten student records and 564
seventh grade student records in both the public and private sectors. Attachment 1 depicts the
comparison between the findings of the validation assessment and the status assessment
conducted by the schools, as well as other comparisons. Attachment 2 shows vaccine-specific
immunization levels and percent of proper documentation.
Results:
•
The validation assessment revealed that 95.4% of kindergarten students were fully
immunized, which is a higher percentage than the 93.6% reported in the Kindergarten and
Seventh Grade Status Report for all kindergarten students in Florida.
•
The validation assessment revealed that 95.4% of seventh grade students were fully
immunized, which is a 1% improvement over the 94.4% reported in the Kindergarten and
Seventh Grade Status Report for all seventh grade students in Florida.
•
The validation audit also showed 1.8% of students in kindergarten and 1% of students in the
seventh grade had improper documentation, or no documentation of immunizations.
Bureau of Immunization
•
Division of Disease Control
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A-11
•
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1700
(850) 245-4342
Kindergarten and Seventh Grade Validation Assessment
School Year 2007-2008
Page Two
July 18, 2008
Concerns:
Section 1003.22,
Florida Statutes
, offers no provision for students to attend school without
proper documentation of immunizations. However, the validation assessment reveals that
1.8% of kindergarten students and 1% of seventh grade students attend school without proper
immunization documentation. CHDs should work closely with schools to exclude and refer these
students for needed immunizations and/or documentation before they return to school. In most
instances, compliance with the requirement is readily obtained when students are excluded from
school.
The validation assessment shows 0.7% of students in kindergarten and 0.3% of students in seventh
grade have temporary medical exemptions and require follow-up. This is an improvement over past
years. CHDs should work with public and private schools to ensure they maintain adequate follow-up
or tracking methods for students holding temporary medical exemptions.
In conclusion, parents, healthcare providers, school health staff, and CHDs must prioritize completion
of the Hepatitis B series and the other vaccines prior to entry into kindergarten and seventh grade to
guarantee adequate immunization and protection of students. Reviews will continue to include the
hepatitis B series and second
MMR for seventh grade students to assure students moving into Florida
have completed these series in addition to the Td.
CHDs should work with local community partners to promote implementation of the
Standards
for Pediatric Immunization Practices
and use of the latest Recommended Childhood Immunization
Schedule approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, American Academy
of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and by all health professionals
involved in the immunization of children.
If you have any questions, please call Cameron Noblit in the Bureau of Immunization at
(850) 245-4342, extension 2393.
JLK/cha/cbn
Attachments
cc: Bambi J. Lockman, Chief
Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
Department of Education
Michele Polland, Educational Policy Analyst
Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services
Department of Education
Lavan Dukes, Chief
Bureau of Education Information and Accountability Services
Department of Education
Thomas W. Arnold, Deputy State Health Officer
Russell W. Eggert, M.D., M.P.H., Director
Division of Disease Control
Annette Phelps, A.R.N.P., M.S.N., Director
Division of Family Health Services
Shannon B. Lease, M.S., Director
Office of Performance Improvement
Charles H. Alexander, Chief
Bureau of Immunization
County Health Department Nursing Directors