Summary of Changes to Wisconsin 2024-2025 School Immunization Requirements
for Local Health Departments, Schools, and Health Care Providers
Note: Children must be up to date on all vaccines listed for previous grades. For example, if a seventh grader is missing a dose of hepatitis B, they’ll need a catch-up dose
of hepatitis B prior to seventh grade matriculation.
*Exceptions to the varicella vaccine requirement will be allowed in both child care centers and schools only if the child has had a case diagnosed by a qualified health care
provider.
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A second dose is not required for students who received their first dose of MenACWY-containing vaccine at age 16 years or older.
The following information is to assist vaccinators, schools, and health partners with understanding the changes to DHS 144, the
state law covering school vaccine entry requirements. The purpose of these changes is to bring Wisconsin closer in line to the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices nationwide recommendations and in line with neighboring states’ school
requirements. Wisconsin state statute continues to permit waivers to vaccination for reasons of health, religious, or personal
conviction.
Further information about school reporting requirements can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
Comparison of Wisconsin school-required vaccines prior to the 2024-2025 school year compared to vaccine
requirements starting in the 2024-2025 school year
Quick Guide
Previous requirements
School requirements starting in the 2024-2025 school year
For entry to kindergarten through seventh grades
students need:
• 4 doses of polio vaccine
• 3 doses of hepatitis B
• 4 doses of DTaP/DTP/DT/TD
• 2 doses of varicella (chicken pox)
• 2 doses of MMR
• 1 dose of Tdap at seventh grade
For entry to kindergarten through seventh grades
students need:
• 4 doses of polio vaccine
• 3 doses of hepatitis B
• 4 doses of DTaP/DTP/DT/TD
• 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox)*
• 2 doses of MMR
• 1 Tdap at seventh grade
• 1 MenACWY-containing vaccine at seventh grade
For entry to 12
th
grade
• 2 MenACWY-containing vaccines
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P-03370 (08/2024)
Detailed Guidance
Previous requirements
School requirements starting in
the 2024-2025 school year
Notes
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine
not required.
MenACWY-containing vaccine is
required at seventh
grade and a
booster dose at 12
th
grade.
Adding to prevent outbreaks of meningitis
disease in Wisconsin schools.
Note: A second dose of MenACWY-containing
vaccine should be administered between the
ages of 16 and 18 years to students who
received a first dose of MenACWY-containing
vaccine between the ages of 11 and 15 years. A
second dose is not required for students who
received their first dose of MenACWY-
containing vaccine at age 16 years or older.
Parental report of varicella
disease as an exception to
varicella vaccination is allowed.
Exceptions to the varicella
vaccine requirement will be
allowed only if the student has
had a case diagnosed by a
qualified health care provider.
This is required for admission to
child care centers and entry in
schools.
Verification of history or diagnosis of typical
disease can be provided by any qualified health
care provider (M.D., D.O., N.P, or P.A.). For
persons reporting a history of, or reporting with,
atypical or mild cases, assessment by a
physician or their designee is required for
school entry, and one of the following should be
sought: 1) an epidemiologic link to a typical
varicella case to a laboratory-confirmed case or
2) evidence of laboratory confirmation, if it was
performed at the time of acute disease. When
such documentation is lacking, persons should
not be considered as having a valid history of
disease because other diseases might mimic
mild atypical varicella.
P-03370 (08/2024)
Varicella and meningococcal were
not included in the definition of an
outbreak.
Updated definition of an
outbreak to include varicella
(chickenpox) and
meningococcal.
An outbreak of varicella is defined as the
occurrence of five or more varicella cases that
are related in place (school or child care
center) and epidemiologically linked.
An organization-based (school or child care
center) outbreak of meningococcal disease is
defined as the occurrence of three or more
confirmed or probable cases of meningococcal
disease of the same serogroup in period of
three months or less among persons who have
a common affiliation but no close contact with
each other, resulting in a primary disease attack
rate of 10 or more cases per 100,000 persons.
