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

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