When to Keep Your Child Home from School

When it comes to deciding whether to send your child to school when they’re not feeling well, it is a balancing act. While good attendance is crucial for academic success, your child’s health and the health of their peers is equally important. Balancing these needs means sometimes making tough decisions, but it’s all about ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.

Here are some key guidelines to help you make that decision, based on the standards of practice in Health Services.

Students who exhibit the following signs or symptoms will be excluded from school:  

• Fever of 100.0 or greater
• Persistent vomiting (two or more episodes, regardless of fever, that is not associated with a preexisting, documented condition, or exercise)
• Persistent diarrhea (two or more episodes, regardless of fever, that is not associated with a preexisting, documented condition)
• Skin rashes if spreading, purulent, weeping, or associated with fever.
• Purulent or crusting drainage from one or both eyes with reddened conjunctiva.
• Persistent cough with productive drainage or bloody sputum
• Recommendation of a physician or school nurse

* This list is not all-inclusive, as each child's unique health needs and medical conditions must be considered to provide effective support in the learning environment. Nurses will continue to account for each student's condition and provide individualized care as needed.

More information from the State of Texas regarding communicable diseases can be found on the Communicable Disease Chart.