Ready to go back to school? These vaccines are required for Kansas students

Lindsay Smith
·3 min read

Wichita Public Schools kicks off a new academic year Tuesday, so while you’re checking to make sure your students have all their supplies, it’s also a good time to check and see if they are up to date with all required vaccinations.

There are seven vaccinations required in Kansas kindergarten through 12th-grade schools, while an additional two are recommended.

Proof of vaccination has to be shown upon school enrollment, or guardians can provide documentation that shows scheduled immunizations, if the child has yet to get all required ones. There are two exemptions allowed for immunizations, medical and religious.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 16 cases of measles in the U.S. in 2023, as of two months ago, most linked to international travel. Measles can be fatal for children, with a reported 1 to 3 of every 1,000 cases in children resulting in death, according to the CDC.

The measles vaccine, which is one of the vaccines required in Kansas schools, is extremely effective in preventing measles. Two doses are 97% effective, the CDC reports, while a single dose is around 93% effective.

If you’re unsure if your child is up to date, here’s a full list of vaccinations required in Kansas for the 2023-24 school year.

Vaccinations required in Kansas schools

These vaccinations are required at the following grade levels in Kansas schools, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP/Tdap): Five doses are required, a dose is required to enter seventh grade.

  • Hepatitis A (Hep A): Two doses are required. The state health department says the doses should be administered at 12 months with a minimum of six months in between the first and second doses.

  • Hepatitis B (Hep B): Three doses are required. KDHE says doses should be administered at birth, 1 to 2 months and one at 6 to 8 months.

  • Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR): Two doses are required, one administered at 12 to 15 months and another prior to kindergarten entry.

  • Meningococcal-serogroup A,C,W,Y (MenACWY): Two doses required, administered right before seventh and 11th grade. Only one dose is required for those ages 16 to 18 if they haven’t received the vaccination yet.

  • Poliomyelitis (IPV/tOPV): Four doses are required. State guidance says the doses should be administered at 2 months, 4 months, 6 to 18 months and right before kindergarten entry.

  • Varicella (Chickenpox): Two doses are required. The state says doses should be administered at 12 to 15 months and right before kindergarten entry.

Additionally, the state health agency recommends students to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and the annual influenza shot. There is no state requirement for students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

If your child is a student of Wichita Public Schools, the district has additional immunization information available on its website.

Where to get vaccinated in Wichita

Individuals can take their child receive vaccinations from the Sedgwick County Health Department.

Your child can get vaccinated at the county’s clinic located at 2716 W. Central. Most insurance is accepted, the county said in a Facebook post Monday. Those who are uninsured can also receive vaccinations, paying fees on a sliding scale.

The county is also a part of the Vaccines for Children program that provides no-cost vaccinations to those younger than 18 who cannot afford them.

An administration fee of $20.26 per vaccine may be charged. According to the county’s preventative health associate director, Bev Bruce, the department charges that fee to the insurance if the patient is insured.

When the child does not have insurance, that fee is decided on a sliding scale based on income. The fees go as low as $2, but children will not be turned away if they are unable to pay.