Condition
Exclusion/Non-Exclusion Criteria
Colds or Persistent Cough
Students need to remain home if they feel unwell, have an excessive runny nose,
excessive cough, excessive sore throat, fever, difficulty breathing (contact healthcare
provider or call 911), or are unable to participate in school activities.
Exclude if the student feels unwell, has a fever, excessive cough, or is unable to
participate in school activities
Return: fever free following fever guidelines, symptoms are improving, and student is
able to participate in school activities.
Diarrhea (increased number of loose, watery stools compared with the child’s normal pattern)
Exclude if diarrhea is causing accidents (toilet-trained) and if diarrhea is not contained
(diapered students).
Exclude if stool frequency is two (2) stools above typical for that student or whose stool
contains more than a drop of blood or mucus.
Return: when symptom free for 24 hours without symptom reducing medication or their
healthcare provider has cleared them to return to school (documentation required).
Drowsiness or General Malaise
Exclude if student is unable to actively participate in school activities.
Return: when symptoms are improved or resolved..
Fever
Exclude if temperature is 100.4 degrees F or greater and the student is exhibiting other
signs & symptoms of illness.
Exclude if temperature is 101 degrees F or greater with or without other symptoms of
illness.
Return: when fever free (less than 100.4 degrees F) without using fever reducing
medication for at least 24 hours.
Hand, Foot, & Mouth
Exclude if the student is unable to participate in school activities, unable to control
excessive drooling, or the student meets other exclusion criteria.
Return: when exclusion criteria is improved or resolved.
Headache
Exclude from school and notify parents and healthcare provider if sudden severe
headache with vomiting or stiff neck that might indicate meningitis.
No Exclusion for common headaches as long as it does not compromise their ability to
participate in school activities.
Pinkeye
(Conjunctivitis)
Includes: Bacterial,
Viral, & Allergic
Signs & symptoms include pink or red, itchy, watery, painful eye(s) with or without
white, yellow, or green discharge.
● Notify family and recommend contacting their healthcare provider for further
guidance.
● No Exclusion unless student is unable to participate in school activities or they
meet other exclusion criteria.
● Encourage increased and careful hand hygiene for all students in the affected
class, especially after touching the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis)
- Purulent Conjunctivitis
- Non-Purulent Conjunctivitis
Exclude: Purulent Conjunctivitis defined as pink or red eye with white or yellow
discharge, often with matted eyelashes, eye pain, or redness of the eyelids or skin around
the eye.
No exclusion: Non-Purulent Conjunctivitis defined as pink eye with a clear, watery eye
discharge without fever, eye pain, or eyelid redness.
Rash with a fever
Follow fever exclusion guidelines. Student may return after a healthcare
provider determines the illness is not a communicable disease.
Sores (Any skin lesion in a weeping stage)
No Exclusion required if covered and/or healthcare provider confirms the
sore is non-infectious. Student may return when the lesion can be covered or
is deemed non-infectious by a healthcare provider. (Different guidance for
Hand-Foot-Mouth, see reference)
Strep Throat
Positive strep cases will be excluded from school until the student has received 12
hours of antibiotic treatment, feels well enough to participate in school activities, and is
fever free.
Stomachache
Students should stay home if they are in severe pain, doubled over, crying, screaming,
abdominal injury, diarrhea, vomiting, looks or acts ill. Severe abdominal pain should be
evaluated by a healthcare provider.
Return: when symptoms are improved or resolved.
Vomiting
Exclude if student vomits once and has other signs & symptoms of illness.
Exclude for persistent vomiting – defined as 2 or more times in 24 hours and is not from
a known condition for which the student has a health plan.
Return: when symptom free for 24 hours.
Other health
conditions &
communicable
diseases not
referenced in these
guidelines
Please contact your assigned school nurse for information on other conditions,
communicable diseases, questions, and concerns.
School nurses reference the guidelines established by the American Academy of
Pediatrics in Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick
Reference Guide for further guidance, and determine next steps for individual students
based on their health assessment and nursing judgment.
