Medications should be administered to schoolchildren by their parents at home whenever possible. In the event that a student needs medication during school hours, the following information outlines the procedures for the safe administration of medication to students. For medications that need to be administered by school staff during school hours, please fill out the required form(s): All Printable Forms

Prescription Medications:

All Prescription medication must have written consent from BOTH the parent/guardian and a licensed prescriber on the district Medication Consent Form. All consent forms must be renewed each school year or whenever the prescription changes.

Prescription Epinephrine:

The incidence of severe allergic reactions has been rising nationwide. Common causes are allergies to food, latex, medications, and insect stings. Anaphylaxis can affect all body systems; however, the most dangerous is the respiratory system. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure, or shock. Anaphylaxis reactions have the potential to be fatal.

All students with a known allergy are encouraged to bring a physician’s order and their prescription epinephrine. It is important that students have their own epinephrine prescription at school. District nursing staff will create an individual care plan for each student. If a person has no specific plan or no known allergy and has an anaphylactic reaction, the district will utilize a stock epinephrine under a blanket physician order. That means we have a supply of epinephrine available for anyone in an emergency. These stock epinephrine cannot be checked out for field trips, off-campus events, or excursions. This is why it is important that students have their own prescription epinephrine for field trips and after-school activities. In the event that epinephrine is administered at school, 911 will be called, and the student will be transported via ambulance to a hospital. This is for the student's safety and well-being in the event of a “rebound” reaction.

Over The Counter (OTC)- Non-Prescription Medications:

In compliance with Wisconsin Statute 118.29, a parent or guardian may submit a written request (Medication Consent Form) for the administration of a non-prescription medication at school. The School District of Janesville personnel will only administer the recommended therapeutic dose of the non-prescription medication as labeled on the package. If the dose required is not what is recommended on the label, a physician's order will be needed. All non-prescription medication must be in the original manufacturer’s package and labeled with the student's name.

Labeling, Storage, and Transport of all Medications to School:

Prescription medication will be supplied by the parent or guardian in the original pharmacy-labeled container with the following information:

• Student’s full name
• Name of medication which matches the Prescriber's order on the Medication Consent Form
• Dosage of medication
• Prescribers' name matching the name on the Medication Consent Form

Non-prescription medication in accordance with Wisconsin Statute 118.29

• Must be in the original manufacturer’s package
• The package must have the drug name and ingredients, as well as the FDA-recommended therapeutic dose

All medications, prescription or non-prescription, for use at school will be located in a locked area. Staff will not cut or split pills.

Parents/Guardians should transport medications to the school. If any other arrangement for transportation of medications is made it must be approved by the school nurse (RN) and building principal.
 

Training:

The building principal, in cooperation with the school nurse (RN), shall designate in writing the names of appropriate school personnel who will have the authority to administer medications to students in a manner consistent with all relevant policies and procedures.

An employee designated to administer medication will be notified by the building principal and/or school nurse (RN). They will receive appropriate instruction and training from a school district nurse. Individuals may not be required to administer medications to students by any means other than ingestion. An employee may assume responsibility for administering medication by non-oral routes if they are willing and have been properly trained, and it is a task that can be delegated to an employee without a health care license. School personnel who administer medications to students are exempt from civil liability if they act in good faith and have appropriate training.
 

Compliance Guidelines:

Accurate and confidential records shall be maintained through Infinite Campus for each student receiving medications at school. Only trained staff will have access to the student Health tab in Infinite Campus for recording administration of medications.

A monthly medication audit will be completed and documented by the school nurse (RN) at each building. If a medication error is noted, it is documented on the Monthly Medication Administration Report Form. Parents are notified, and staff are retrained immediately. Refusal of a medication by a student is not considered an error; the parent/guardian will be notified.

Certain situations may require further investigation. The School District of Janesville reserves the right to investigate questionable medication incidents. If staff notice that the medication's shape or color differs from the previous prescription or is in any way suspicious, they should notify the school nurse (RN) immediately.

Missing medications should be reported to both the school nurse (RN) and the building principal. If the missing medication is a controlled substance, it will be reported to the Director of Student Services and the Janesville Police Department.
 

Unused Medications:

At the end of the school year or if a medication is discontinued, parents will be notified by phone or in writing to come to the school to pick up the medication. Any other pickup arrangements must be approved by the school nurse (RN). If medication is not picked up by the end of the school year, it will be discarded or destroyed in an environmentally safe manner. Prior to disposal, a medication manifest will be completed by the school nurse (RN) and another building staff member.

Self-Administration of Prescription Medication by Students:

According to Wisconsin State Statute 118.29(1), Possession and use of metered dose inhalers for asthma, any student can carry a metered dose inhaler on their person and self-administer. This applies to students of all ages who have a physician's order and have completed the Medication Consent Form. Both the parent/guardian and licensed prescriber must indicate in writing that the student has a clear understanding of the medication and how it is to be administered.

According to Wisconsin State Statute 118.29(2), possession and use of an epinephrine auto-injection system for severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis allow students to carry an epinephrine auto-injection system on their person and self-administer it. This applies to students of all ages who have a physician's order and have completed the Medication Consent Form. Both the parent/guardian and licensed prescriber must indicate in writing that the student has a clear understanding of the medication and how it is to be administered.

All students admitted to the School District of Janesville must present immunization records as required by law. Except as otherwise provided, immunizations are required for measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, tetanus, mumps, Hepatitis B, and Varicella.

The School District of Janesville shall notify, by legal notice and according to the deadlines established by law, the parent/guardian of any minor student who has not submitted either written evidence of immunization or a waiver form.

Notification shall include a list of missing immunizations, the availability of waivers for reasons of health, religion, or personal conviction, and an explanation of the penalty for noncompliance and information on how and where to obtain necessary immunizations.

To determine which vaccines for your child(ren) are on file with Wisconsin, you can use the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.

To update your child's records with SDJ, please take a copy of the records to your child's school office. 

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School Immunization Requirements in Wisconsin

To:  Wisconsin School Administrators, School Nurses, and School Immunization Compliance  Managers  
Cc:  Local Health Departments and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction  
From:  Stephanie Schauer, Ph.D. Immunization Program Manager  
Re:  Student Immunization Law Information, Fall 2023  

Enclosed please find the materials Wisconsin schools need to assess, ensure, and report student compliance with the Wisconsin Student Immunization Law. You are receiving this mailing because you are registered as a school with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), but you do not have an email address on file with DPI.  

 We thank you for your partnership in assessing and ensuring compliance with the Wisconsin student immunization law. You are integral partners in ensuring schools remain healthy environments for learning. As you plan for another school year, we wanted to make you aware of a few items regarding school immunization compliance for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.  

• The school booklet materials are also available online. 

• The School Report to Local Health Departments will be submitted electronically. If your school does NOT have internet access, a paper report must be sent to your LHD. The reports are in the booklet.  This year, we will continue to utilize an online process for schools to report to the local health departments and the state.  

School Report to Local Health Department PDF version  

Note that the REDCap survey cannot be completed using Internet Explorer. Please use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to complete the survey.    

Either report will satisfy the reporting required of every school by Wisconsin law (Wis. Admin. Code ch. 144:)  to submit the report to the local health department by the deadline (the 40th school day). It will not be necessary to send a separate paper copy of the form to the local health department.  

School compliance results from the previous school year are available online. Schools and districts should review their compliance results from the previous school year using the links below. Public school districts and private schools with fewer than 99.00% of students in compliance during the previous school year must exclude noncompliant students during the coming school year.  

 Public School District Compliance with the Wisconsin Student Immunization Law PDF  

• A webinar will be held on August 21, 2023, from 9:00-10:30 am for school personnel on submitting the school report. DHS and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will host a webinar to discuss these changes and the process in more detail. The webinar will be recorded and archived on our website for viewing. The webinar link will be sent out closer to the date.      

We thank you for your continued efforts to ensure that all schoolchildren in Wisconsin are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. We look forward to a continued partnership with you.  

Please let DPI know if you would like to be included in their email distribution list by contacting louise.wilson@dpi.wi.gov.  

If you have questions, please contact your local health department or your regional immunization representative:  Local health departments

• Eau Claire Shayna Nickell  
  608-692-3541
  Shayna.Nickell@dhs.wi.gov 
• Green Bay Susan Nelson
  920-448-5231  
  SusanL.Nelson@wi.gov 
• Madison Wilmot Valhmu
  608-266-0008
  Wilmot.Valhmu@wi.gov 
• Milwaukee Monica Thakur
  414-227-3995    
  Monica.Thakur@wi.gov
• Rhinelander Christie Larmie
  715-365-2709
  Christie.Larmie@dhs.wi.gov

WISCONSIN STATUTES CHAPTER 252 COMMUNICABLE DISEASES  

252.04 Immunization program.

• The department shall carry out a statewide immunization program to eliminate mumps, measles, rubella (German measles), diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis and other diseases that the department specifies by rule, and to protect against tetanus. Any person who immunizes an individual under this section shall maintain records identifying the manufacturer and lot number of the vaccine used, the date of immunization and the name and title of the person who immunized the individual. These records shall be available to the individual or, if the individual is a minor, to his or her parent, guardian or legal custodian upon request.  
•  Any student admitted to any elementary, middle, junior, or senior high school or into any child care center or nursery school shall, within 30 school days after the date on which the student is admitted, present written evidence to the school, child care center, or nursery school of having completed the first immunization for each vaccine required for the student’s grade and being on schedule for the remainder of the basic and recall (booster) immunization series for mumps, measles, rubella (German measles), diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis, tetanus, and other diseases that the department specifies by rule or shall present a written waiver under sub. (3).    
• The immunization requirement is waived if the student, if an adult, or the student’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian submits a written statement to the school, child care center, or nursery school objecting to the immunization for reasons of health, religion, or personal conviction. At the time any school, child care center, or nursery school notifies a student, parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the immunization requirements, it shall inform the person in writing of the person’s right to a waiver under this subsection.  
• The student, if an adult, or the student’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian, shall keep the school, child care center, or nursery school informed of the student’s compliance with the immunization schedule.    
  • (a) By the 15th and the 25th school day after the date on which the student is admitted to a school, child care center, or nursery school, the school, child care center, or nursery school shall notify in writing any adult student or the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of any minor student who has not met the immunization or waiver requirements of this section. The notices shall cite the terms of those requirements and shall state that court action and forfeiture penalty could result due to noncompliance. The notices shall also explain the reasons for the immunization requirements and include information on how and where to obtain the required immunizations.          
  • (b) A school, child care center, or nursery school may exclude from the school, child care center, or nursery school any student who fails to satisfy the requirements of sub. (2). 
    • Beginning on July 1, 1993, if the department determines that fewer than 98% of the students in a child care center, nursery school, or school district who are subject to the requirements of sub. (2) have complied with sub. (2), the child care center or nursery school shall exclude any child who fails to satisfy the requirements of sub. (2) and the school district shall exclude any student enrolled in grades kindergarten to 6 who fails to satisfy the requirements of sub. (2).                
    • Beginning on July 1, 1995, if the department determines that fewer than 99% of the students in a child care center, nursery school, or school district who are subject to the requirements of sub. (2) have complied with sub. (2), the child care center or nursery school shall exclude any child who fails to satisfy the requirements of sub. (2) and the school district shall exclude any student enrolled in grades kindergarten to 6 who fails to satisfy the requirements of sub. (2).    
    • No student may be excluded from public school under this paragraph for more than 10 consecutive school days unless, prior to the 11th consecutive school day of exclusion, the school board provides the student and the student’s parent, guardian or legal custodian with an additional notice, a hearing and the opportunity to appeal the exclusion, as provided under s. 120.13 (1) (c) 3.    
• The school, child care center, or nursery school shall notify the district attorney of the county in which the student resides of any minor student who fails to present written evidence of completed immunizations or a written waiver under sub. (3) within 60 school days after being admitted to the school, child care center, or nursery school. The district attorney shall petition the court exercising jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 for an order directing that the student be in compliance with the requirements of this section. If the court grants the petition, the court may specify the date by which a written waiver shall be submitted under sub. (3) or may specify the terms of the immunization schedule. The court may require an adult student or the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a minor student who refuses to submit a written waiver by the specified date or meet the terms of the immunization schedule to forfeit not more than $25 per day of violation.    
• If an emergency arises, consisting of a substantial outbreak as determined by the department by rule of one of the diseases specified in sub. (2) at a school or in the municipality in which the school is located, the department may order the school to exclude students who are not immunized until the outbreak subsides.  
•  The department shall provide the vaccines without charge, if federal or state funds are available for the vaccines, upon request of a school district or a local health department. The department shall provide the necessary professional consultant services to carry out an immunization program, under the requirements of sub. (9), in the jurisdiction of the requesting local health department. Persons immunized may not be charged for vaccines furnished by the department.    
  • An immunization program under sub. (8) shall be supervised by a physician, selected by the school district or local health department, who shall issue written orders for the administration of immunizations that are in accordance with written protocols issued by the department.          
  • If the physician under par. (a) is not an employee of the county, city, village or school district, receives no compensation for his or her services under par. (a) and acts under par. (a) in accordance with written protocols issued by the department, he or she is a state agent of the department for the purposes of ss. 165.25 (6), 893.82 (3) and 895.46.          
  • The department may disapprove the selection made under par. (a) or may require the removal of a physician selected.  
• The department shall, by rule, prescribe the mechanisms for implementing and monitoring compliance with this section. The department shall prescribe, by rule, the form that any person immunizing a student shall provide to the student under sub. (1).  
• Annually, by July 1, the department shall submit a report to the legislature under s.13.172(3) on the success of the statewide immunization program under this section. History: 1993 a. 27 ss. 181, 470; 1995 a. 32, 77, 222; 2009 a. 185. Published: July 30, 1975 Amended: May 20, 1980, April 26, 1982, May 16, 1988, May 3, 1990, May 1, 1992, April    16, 1996, June 1997, May 2001, August 2003, February 2008 

Wisconsin Student Immunization Law Timeline: Actions Required of Schools

School Day	School Actions	Forms and Resources
1st	Admission to School	Admission to School
1st –14th	Assess Compliance  Schools assess compliance for all students, paying particular attention to students who: • Are new to the school.  • Are entering grades with new requirements (Kindergarten, 6th grade). • Were “In Process” last school year. • Were noncompliant last school year.	Schools can look up student immunization histories in the Wisconsin Immunization Registry Use the Flow Chart and compliance definitions on page 2 of form F-04002 to determine a student’s compliance category.
15th	First Legal Notice: Schools send the First Legal Notice and the Student Immunization Record form F-04020L to parents of students who are behind schedule or have no record.	Legal Notice (F-44001) English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali  Student Immunization Record (F-04020L) English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali
25th	Second Legal Notice: Schools send the Second Legal Notice and the Student Immunization Record form F-04020L to parents of students who are behind schedule or have no record. Schools also send the Notice of Exclusion when they are required to or choose to exclude noncompliant students.	Legal Notice (F-44001) English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali  Student Immunization Record (F-04020L) English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali  Notice of Exclusion English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali
30th	First Deadline: Exclusion Schools determine which students are noncompliant and exclude noncompliant students in Kindergarten through Grade 5, starting on the 31st school day, if one of the following is true: • The school is a public school and the school district’s compliance level from the previous school year was less than 99.00%. • The school is a private school, and the school’s compliance level from the previous school year was less than 99.00%. Exclusion is optional for grades 6–12 and for schools that met the 99.00% compliance level in the previous year.	Compliance results from the previous school year  • Public school districts • Private schools
40th	School Report to Local Health Department Start Noncompliance Roster Schools submit the School Report to the Local Health Department with the aggregate data using the online REDCap survey:  https://redcap.wisconsin.gov/surveys/?s=DXK47T9EM8RYCRWH Schools generate the Noncompliance Roster and keep it on file at school. Note: the information on the School Report to Local Health Department is used to determine a school’s compliance level and whether a school/district will need to exclude students on the 31th day of the next school year.	School Report to Local Health Department (now online) F-04002 Noncompliance Roster F-01580
90th	Second Deadline: Schools add noncompliant students to the Noncompliance Roster. Optional: Schools may send reminder letters to parents of students who are ‘In Process’ and parents of students who are noncompliant.d	90th day letter-In Process  English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali  90th day letter-Not Compliant English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali
At any time	Educational materials: Schools may send educational materials to students’ families.	Grade K-6 Immunization Requirements English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali  Grade 7-12 Immunization Requirements English | Spanish | Hmong | Somali

Footnotes

• Schools should send the First Legal Notice by the 15th school day to parents of students who are behind schedule or have no record on file. The first notice should include the 30th-school-day deadline in the first paragraph, in the space provided. The signature line should be completed with the "date sent" filled in. A blank Student Immunization Record should be attached for the parent to complete and return the required information.
• The Second Legal Notice should be sent to students who remain noncompliant after the first notice. The second notice should be sent by the 25th school day and should include the same information as the first notice, with a new "date sent" filled in on the signature line.  
• The Notice of Exclusion should be sent if your school chooses to exclude the noncompliant student or if your school is required to exclude noncompliant students because the compliance level of your school/school district was less than 99% during the previous school year. The exclusion date would be the 31st school day from the beginning of admission to school, and that date should be inserted on the Notice of Exclusion.
• Noncompliant students include students who are behind schedule, have no record, and have no waiver on file. Noncompliant students should be recorded on the Noncompliance Roster and should be reassessed next year.