Connecticut school vaccine requirements apply to every student enrolling in a public or private school in the state, covering shots for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis B, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, varicella, hepatitis A, and meningococcal disease, with influenza added for certain preschool ages.1Connecticut State Department of Education. Immunization Requirements for the 2024-25 School Year Since 2021, only medical exemptions are available to new students; religious exemptions remain valid only for students who already had one on file by April 28, 2021.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 10-204a
Vaccines Required for Enrollment
State law requires students to be adequately immunized before they can enroll in school. The specific doses and timing depend on the child’s grade level and birth year, and the schedule itself is set by the Commissioner of Public Health rather than written into the statute, so it can be updated to track guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 10-204a3Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 19a-7f
The diseases currently covered are:1Connecticut State Department of Education. Immunization Requirements for the 2024-25 School Year
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
- Polio
- Hepatitis B
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP, Tdap, or Td)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Hepatitis A
- Meningococcal
- Influenza, for certain preschool ages
Parents can find the current dose-by-dose schedule in the Department of Education’s annual immunization guidance, which is updated each school year.
Medical Exemptions
A child can be excused from a required vaccine on medical grounds with a signed certificate from a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse stating that the vaccine is medically unsafe for that child. These certificates reference CDC contraindication guidelines, but the provider can also document medical risks based on their own clinical judgment even when the concern isn’t on the CDC list.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 10-204a4Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 19a-7q
Religious Exemptions and the 2021 Change
Connecticut eliminated religious exemptions for school vaccines in 2021. The law includes a grandfather clause: a student who was already enrolled and had filed a valid religious exemption on or before April 28, 2021, may keep that exemption. Students enrolling after that date cannot claim one, regardless of belief.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 10-204a
Other Ways a Child Can Still Attend
Beyond formal exemptions, the statute recognizes a few other situations. A child who has already had certain diseases can document that history in place of the vaccine. A child whose shots are in progress may attend while completing the series, and a child with a scheduled appointment to receive an outstanding dose can be admitted on the strength of a provider’s note. Some age-based criteria also apply for younger children.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 10-204a5Connecticut Department of Public Health. School and Child Care Programs Immunization Requirements
What Happens If a Student Isn’t Compliant
Local and regional school boards are responsible for confirming that each student meets the requirements before enrollment, and schools must keep health assessment records for every student. A child who doesn’t meet the requirements and doesn’t qualify under an exemption or catch-up pathway can be excluded from school until they come into compliance.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes § 10-204a6Legal Information Institute. Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-204a-4
Legal Challenges to the Current Rules
The 2021 repeal of the religious exemption has been challenged in court by plaintiffs arguing that it burdens First Amendment religious freedom. In We the Patriots USA, Inc. v. Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Development, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld Connecticut’s framework, leaving the current rules in force.7Justia. We the Patriots USA, Inc. v. Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Development The state’s authority to condition school attendance on vaccination traces back to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1905 decision in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, which recognized that states can enforce vaccine laws for public health.8Justia. Jacobson v. Massachusetts