71 students excluded from Rochester public schools for lack of vaccinations

Parents of Rochester public school students have whittled the number of kids excluded from class for lack of immunizations down to 71, from a potential pool of more than 200 last week.

State law prohibits students from attending school if they have not submitted paperwork showing they're up to date on their vaccinations or have a legal exemption.

Starting Wednesday the district started getting tough on enforcing the requirement.

Students arriving at school out of compliance were allowed to stay at school and fed lunch if they were not picked up, but kept away from their classrooms. They're being sent home with a letter reminding parents that they can't attend school without the required paperwork.

The district has not identified any geographic pattern in the lack of compliance.

Parents were warned students would be kept from class, the district said in a statement. It "communicated with the parents of non-compliant students in several ways, including emails, letters, and personal phone calls. The District has also used interpreters to connect with any parents who do not speak English as their primary language."

Kris Ehresmann, director for Infectious Disease at the Minnesota Department of Health, said last week Rochester's immunization rates are above the Minnesota average, but she welcomed the district's move to enforce state vaccination requirements.

District officials have said they don't know why so many students were out of compliance this year.

Once students' vaccinations are up to date they can return to school.