Schools that ensure their students are protected against communicable diseases and prepare their staff to respond to health emergencies are schools whose students are healthy and ready to learn.
The SY 25-26 School Immunization Policy requires schools to exclude immunization non-compliant students in grades pre-k 3, kindergarten, 7 and 11 on Dec. 8, 2025, the District-wide exclusion day, unless students have a medical or religious exemption.
In addition to the annual implementation of the School Immunization Policy, two new school health programs will begin in the 2025-26 school year.
The Undesignated Emergency Medications (UEM) program will be jointly administered by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and DC Health to ensure schools have access to and properly administer emergency medications, including epinephrine (for anaphylaxis), glucagon (for hypoglycemia) and albuterol (for asthma).
The Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) program will be jointly administered by OSSE and DC Fire and Emergency Medical Service (FEMS) and will enable schools to prepare for and respond to sudden cardiac arrest incidents involving students, staff and visitors.
Points of Contact
- School Immunization Policy: osse.schoolhealth@dc.gov
- UEM Program: osse.uemeds@dc.gov
- CERP Program: osse.schoolhealth@dc.gov
- The School Immunization Policy requires schools to:
- Send out the initial exclusion warning notifications on Oct. 27, 2025, to immunization non-compliant students in grades pre-K 3, kindergarten, 7 and 11 (the key grades).
- Exclude immunization non-compliant students in the key grades on Dec. 8, 2025.
- As part of the UEM program, DC Health will supply epinephrine, glucagon (for hypoglycemia) and albuterol (for asthma) to schools at no cost.
- By Aug. 22, using an OSSE Quickbase application, a school must submit an Undesignated Emergency Medication Action (UEMA) Plan annually to OSSE for review and approval and submit incident reports to DC Health in a timely manner.
- In order to have their UEMA Plan approved, each school must have two staff members trained in the administration of UEM and identify one staff person to serve as the school’s UEM Program liaison with DC Health and OSSE.
- In September, as part of the submission of their School Response Plan, schools must complete and update annually a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) that enables schools to prepare for and respond to sudden cardiac arrest incidents.
School Immunization Policy:
- School Year 2025-26 School Immunization Policy (coming soon)
- OSSE Immunization Resources
- DC School Immunization Requirements Guide
- DC Health Immunization Compliance Portal
UEM Program (Below resources are coming soon.)
- Quickbase application for submission of UEM School Action Plans – June 1
- One-Pagers
- Overview of legislation
- School Requirements
- Medications:
- Designated vs. Undesignated (DC Health)
- Storage of Undesignated Medications (DC Health)
- Recognize Symptoms for Conditions and Respond: (DC Health)
- Anaphylaxis/Epinephrine
- Hypoglycemia/Glucagon
- Asthma/Albuterol
- Medication Administration Aftercare
- How Tos:
- Access trainings (LMS) (DC Health)
- Submission of Incident Reports (DC Health)
- Submission of UEMA Plan (OSSE)
- Monthly Compliance Logs (DC Health)
CERP Program:
- Guide for Developing School Cardiac Emergency Response Plan – June 1
School Immunization Policy:
- Oct. 14-24: Develop warning notifications of temporary exclusion to send on Oct. 27.
- Oct. 27: Send initial temporary exclusion warning
- Dec. 8: Temporarily exclude all non-compliant students in grades pre-k 3, k, 7, and 11 who do not have a medical or (pending) religious exemption.
UEM Program:
- DC Health Administration of Medications Training - TBD
- Submission of UEMA Plan to OSSE - Aug. 22
If you have a question regarding this Start of School priority, please fill out this form.