TABLE 3—
Frequencies of School Immunization and Exemption Policies, by State
| Schools, % | |||||
| Policy | Colorado | Massachusetts | Missouri | Washington | Total |
| School has authority to deny exemption request | 6.4 | 58.1 | 50.9 | 11.9 | 26.1 |
| School has ever denied exemption request | 1.5 | 14.7 | 15.8 | 6.2 | 9.2 |
| Exemption must be renewed annually | 8.0 | 17.5 | 31.4 | 6.7 | 17.0 |
| Nonmedical exemption requires signature from religious leader, school, or physician | 10.3 | 21.9 | 20.3 | 5.9 | 15.0 |
| Religious exemption requires letter from parent | 41.2 | 81.3 | 29.4 | 37.0 | 48.1 |
| School permits philosophical exemptions | 95.6 | 18.1 | 17.0 | 95.1 | 53.4 |
| Among schools that permit philosophical exemptions, philosophical exemption requires letter from parent | 39.5 | 89.7 | 26.9 | 39.4 | 42.7 |
| School has written policy to inform parents of exemption option | 27.4 | 19.9 | 14.2 | 20.0 | 18.2 |
| School informs parents requesting exemptions of risks of not vaccinating | 52.9 | 60.9 | 59.3 | 56.8 | 57.1 |
| Instructions on how to complete school requirement mailed to parents before enrollmenta | 45.6 | …b | 47.8 | 17.8 | 37.2 |
aOther schools provide information to parents when they are enrolling child in school. bQuestion not asked in Massachusetts.