School Immunization Law - Funding and Policy Issues - December, 1998
For more information, contact:
Acute Disease Prevention Services Section, Minnesota Department of Health
717 S.E. Delaware Street, P.O. Box 9441 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441
Phone: (612) 676-5237 Fax: (612) 676-5689
The School Immunization Law - Funding and Policy Issues
Executive Summary
The 1998 Legislature charged the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota
Department of Children, Families and Learning (DCFL) with developing recommendations on how
to provide ongoing funding to school districts to implement Minnesota's School Immunization Law.
MDH and DCFL convened a work group to identify costs, issues, and funding options.
Key findings of the work group include:
1. Immunization is one of the greatest success stories of public health and preventive medicine in the
U.S. The School Immunization Law assures high levels of immunizations in school children.
2. Enforcing the School Immunization Law is increasingly complex and time-consuming for schools.
3. Responsibilities for schools to assure required immunizations have increased over the last several
years. No funding has ever been specifically provided for this purpose.
4. Enforcing the School Immunization Law diverts school nurses from fulfilling a growing number of
other student health concerns.
5. Immunization issues are growing more complex. New technology such as immunization registries,
offers possibilities to improve immunization rates and potentially reduce the burden on schools.
Accordingly, the Work Group recommends the following:
1. Funding should be identified for schools to support school activities to achieve compliance with
the School Immunization Law (M.S. 121A.15). Because this is a public health issue, the work
group recommends any funding considered for including in the Health and Human Services budget
be distributed to schools through the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning.
This appropriation should be part of a larger immunization package supporting local and statewide
public health immunization activities.
2. Funds awarded to schools for the School Immunization Law should be used for review of
immunization records to determine compliance, assistance to students in obtaining documentation of
previously received immunizations, and assistance to students in getting additional needed
immunizations.
3. Funds granted to schools should use a formula based on total student population and
immunization rates as measured by the MDH Kindergarten Retrospective Survey or other
appropriate tool that assesses immunization rates. An annual report of activities supported by the
funding should be required.
4. Long-term strategies to improve immunization rates for Minnesota children should be supported
by collaboration and funding. These long-term strategies include: public/private collaboration,
coordination of school and public health activities, continued development of community
immunization registries, and assistance to child care providers in meeting requirements of the
Immunization Law.
School Immunization Law: Funding and Policy Issues 1
Attachment A
School Law Funding Work Group
Minnesota Deptartment of Children, Families & Learning ,1500 Highway 36 West, Roseville, MN
55113-4266
Debbykay Peterson, Early Childhood, Family Community Support Screening/Learning Readiness
651/582-8426 email: debbykay.peterson@state.mn.us
Mary Thissen-Milder, Ph.D., Director, Coordinated School Health, 651/582-8452; FAX
651/582-8495 email: mary.thissen-milder@state.mn.us, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH),
717 Delaware Street SE, P.O. Box 9441, Minneapolis, MN 55440-9441
Aggie Leitheiser, R.N., M.P.H., Director, Disease Prevention & Control 623-5363; FAX
623-5666 email: aggie.leitheiser@health.state.mn.us
Kristine Moore,,M.D., M.P.H., Medical Director, Disease Prevention & Control and Assistant
State Epidemiologist; 623-5414; FAX 623-5743 email: kristine.moore@health.state.mn.us
Martha Arnold, School Nurse, School Nurses Organization of Minnesota, Chicago Lakes Area
Schools - ISD 2144, 114811 Kost Dam Road North Branch, MN 55056 (home) 651/583-2722;
(ofc) 651/213-2515, FAX: 651/213-2550, email: mjarnold1@aol.com
Carol Berg, UCare Minnesota, 2550 University Avenue West, Suite 201-S St. Paul, MN 55114
651/603-5363; FAX: 651/603-0650 email: cberg@ucare.org
Deb Corhouse, Minnesota School Boards Association, 1900 West Jefferson, St. Peter, MN
56082 333-8577; 507/931-2450 email: dcorhouse@msba.mnmsba.org
Jodi Eiesland, Metro Immunization Registry, 3335 Humboldt Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN
55408 612/824-9268; FAX 612/348-6239 email: jodi.eiesland@co.hennepin.mn.us
Ed Ehlinger, M.D., Work Group Chair and Director, Boynton Health Service, University of
Minnesota, 410 Church Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455 612/625-1612; FAX
612/625-1434 email: eehlinaer@vax.bhs.umn.edu
Ann Hoxie, School Nurses Organization of Minnesota, St. Paul Schools - ISD 626, 360 Colborne
Street, St. Paul, MN 55102 (home) 651/698-6834; 651/228-4711; FAX 293-5415 email:
ahoxie@mail.stpaul.k12.mn.us
Dale Jensen, Don & Eric Ewald, Minnesota Association of School Administrators, 1884 Como
Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 651/645-6272
Rep Alice Johnson, 539 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155 (home) 786-2025; (ofc)
296-5510; FAX 296-4165 email: rep.Alice.Johnson@house.leg.state.mn.us
Tom Kelleher, Capitol Hill Associates, 525 Park Street, St. Paul, MN 55101 293-0229; FAX
293-1709
Senator Jane Krentz, 14177 Paris Avenue, North May Township (Wash County), MN 55082
430-2983; (ofc) 296-7061 email: sen.jane.krentz@senate.leg.state.mn.us
Bob Meeks, Minnesota School Boards Association, 1900 West Jefferson, St. Peter, MN 56082
333-8577; 507/931-2450 email: bmeeks@msba.mnmsba.ore
Pat Mielke, Benton County Public Health, 1646 Highway 23E, St. Cloud, MN 56304
320/253-8440; FAX 320/253-7274
Colleen Olson, Minnesota Department of Human Services, Performance Management & Quality
Improvement, 444 Lafayette Road, North St. Paul, MN 55155-3865 651/282-6648; FAX
215-5754 email: colleen.olson@state.mn.us
Rep Alice Seagren, 9730 Palmer Circle, Bloomington, MN 55437 (home) 612/835-6721; (ofc)
651/296-7803 FAX 651/296-8803 email: rep.Alice.Seagren@house.leg.state.mn.us
Sue Stout and Diane O'Connor,Minnesota Nurses Association, 1295 Bandanna Square, Suite
140, St. Paul, MN 55108 646-4807; FAX 647-5301 email: susanstout@mnnurses.org
Gloria Tobias, PHN, Countryside Public Health, 422 5 Avenue, Suite 305, Madison, MN 56256
320/598-7313; FAX: 320/598-7730 email: none
Robyn Widley, Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning , Early Childhood
Special Education, 303 Capitol Square, 550 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-2273
651/296-5007; FAX 651/296-5076 email: robyn.widley@state.mn.us
Nancy Wille, Community Health Service of Goodhue County, 419 Bush Street, Red Wing, MN
55066 612/385-6464; FAX:
Liz Zeno, LSN, Health Service Area Leader, Minneapolis Public Schools, 4336 Lyndale Avenue,
North Minneapolis, MN 55412 612/588-8083 email: lzeno@mpls.k12.mn.us
Laura Plummer Trust , Minnesota Department of Human Services, Division of Licensing, 444
Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-3842 651/296-3024 email: Laura.Trust@state.mn.us
Sue Zuidema and Allan Hankey, Hennepin County Community Health Department, 525 Portland
Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415 348-6753; FAX email: Sue.Zuiderna@co.hennepin.mn.us
Additional Guests in Attendance:
Esther Tatley, LSN, MPH; North St. Paul Maplewood Oakdale School District.
Marty Randle, Sara Mullett, Cecelia DuPlessis Erickson, Minneapolis School District.
Paddy Danaher, Washington County Public Health.
Other invited participants and guests:
LaDonna Bergeson, School Nurse Worthington School District, 13885 Center Drive, Spirit Lake,
Iowa 51360 712/336-4023
Cyndy Silkworth, White Bear School District Central Middle School, 4857 Bloom Avenue, White
Bear Lake, MN 55110 651/653-2901; FAX 651/653-2885 email: silkworth@compuserve.com
Nancy Moye, South St. Paul School District, Kaposia Education Center, 1225 1st Avenue South,
South St. Paul, MN 55075 451-9844 email: nancy.moye@sostpaul.k12.mn.us
Mary Swanson (98-99 SNOM President), Robbinsdale School District, Armstrong High School,
10635 36th Avenue North, Plymouth, MN 55441 504-8809; FAX 504-8831 email:
mswanson@eta.k12.mn.us
Barb Stahl, PHN, Early Childhood Directors Association, 450 North Syndicate, Suite 5, St. Paul,
MN 55104-4125 603-6853
Donna Forster, President, Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Providers, 1910 West County
Road B, Room 147, Roseville, MN 55113 636-1989
Don Genereux, Minnesota Elementary School Principal Association, 4505 Robin Circle,
Minneapolis, MN 55422 537-2570 (home)
Senator Martha Robertson (R-45), 2000 Indian Road, Minnetonka, MN 55305 545-3715; (ofc)
296-4314 email: sen.martha.robertson@senate.leg.state.mn.us
Rep Nora Slawik (DFL-57A), 1142 Marnie Court, Maplewood, MN 55119 738-7099; (ofc)
296-7807; FAX 296-4165 email: rep.Nora.Slawik@house.leg.state.mn.us
Steve Williams, Especially for Children (Minnesota Child Care Association), 5223 West 73 Edina,
MN 55439
Jim Koppel, Director, Children's Defense Fund of Minnesota, 550 Rice Street, Suite 104 St. Paul,
MN 55113 227-6121; FAX 227-2553
Joann Knuth, Principal, Highland Park Senior High, Minnesota Association of Secondary School
Principals, 1015 South Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55116 293-8934; (home) 786-8468
James Nordin, M.D., Co-Chair Minnesota Council of Health Plans, Immunization Task Force
HealthPartners, 205 South Wabasha Street , St. Paul, MN 55107 293-8166; FAX email:
James.D.Nordin@HealthPartners.com
Jim Koppel, Director, Children's Defense Fund of Minnesota, 550 Rice Street, Suite 104 St. Paul,
MN 55113 227-6121; FAX 227-2553
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Staff: Kelli Johnson, Executive Office; Marty LaVenture,
Disease Prevention & Control; Susan Ersted, Acute Disease Prevention; Mary Manning, Disease
Prevention & Control; Bill Brand, Acute Disease Prevention; Jan Forfang, Epidemiology Field
Services; Jane Harper, Acute Disease Prevention; Alan Lifson, Acute Disease Prevention; Cheryl
Norton, Acute Disease Prevention; Diane Peterson, Acute Disease Prevention; Cheryl Smoot,
Family Health Division; Claudia Miller, Acute Disease Epidemiology; Cara Macken-Atchison,
Family Health Division.
Special Advisors:
Don Gemberling, Department of Administration
Terry O'Brien, Attorney General Office
Barry Sullivan and Tom Melcher, Minnesota Deptartment of Children, Families & Learning
Return to SNOM - School Nurses of Minnesota Home Page