Your child could be turned away on the first day of school if immunization records aren't up to date.
Under Illinois law, students who haven't completed required vaccinations can be excluded from attending class. District 203 classes begin Thursday, August 13, and District 204 opens Monday, August 17. That gives families at Naperville North, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, Metea Valley, and every elementary and junior high in both districts a narrow window to get compliant. The DuPage County Health Department is offering a Back-to-School Health Clinic on Thursday, August 6, one week before District 203 doors open.
What's offered
The clinic runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DuPage County Health Department, 111 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton, about 10 miles from central Naperville. Services include school-required immunizations, dental exams, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) walk-in services, mental health resources, and benefits assistance.
Appointments are required. Call (630) 682-7400 to book a slot. Families should confirm whether insurance documentation is required when scheduling.
The DuPage County Regional Office of Education announced the clinic on Wednesday, July 22, directing families to call for appointments.
What Illinois requires
The Illinois Department of Public Health sets minimum immunization requirements for the 2026-27 school year. Two grade levels face the most scrutiny:
Kindergarten entry: Four or more doses of DTaP (last dose on or after the child's fourth birthday), four doses of polio vaccine, two doses each of measles, rubella, and mumps vaccines (MMR), two doses of varicella, Hib series, and PCV series.
Sixth-grade entry: One dose of Tdap (at age 11 or older), three doses of Hepatitis B, and one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) on or after the child's 11th birthday.
Families sending kindergartners to District 203 or District 204 elementary schools need the full series complete. Families with students entering sixth grade at Lincoln Junior High, Jefferson Junior High, Washington Junior High, Still Middle School, or Scullen Middle School need the Tdap, Hepatitis B, and meningococcal shots documented.
The full IDPH immunization schedule is available at dph.illinois.gov.
The compliance deadline
Per Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/27-8.1), students must submit immunization and health examination records by Thursday, October 15, 2026, or an earlier date set by the district. Students not in compliance face exclusion from school attendance, according to Illinois State Board of Education guidelines.
A child is considered in compliance if all immunizations the child can medically receive have been administered and a signed statement from a health care provider indicates when remaining shots will be given within the current school year.
School days ahead
- Thursday, August 6 | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | DuPage County Health Department, 111 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton | Both districts | Back-to-School Health Clinic: immunizations, dental exams, WIC services, mental health resources. Appointments required: (630) 682-7400.
- Thursday, August 13 | District 203 | First day of classes for all schools including Naperville North, Naperville Central, Lincoln Junior High, Jefferson Junior High, Washington Junior High, and all District 203 elementary schools.
- Monday, August 17 | District 204 | First day of classes for Neuqua Valley, Metea Valley, Still Middle School, Scullen Middle School, and all District 204 elementary schools.
