Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 76 - School Attendance
Section 15 - Vaccination and Immunization

Section 15. No child shall, except as hereinafter provided, be admitted to school except upon presentation of a physician's certificate that the child has been successfully immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and poliomyelitis and such other communicable diseases as may be specified from time to time by the department of public health.
A child shall be admitted to school upon certification by a physician that he has personally examined such child and that in his opinion the physical condition of the child is such that his health would be endangered by such vaccination or by any of such immunizations. Such certification shall be submitted at the beginning of each school year to the physician in charge of the school health program. If the physician in charge of the school health program does not agree with the opinion of the child's physician, the matter shall be referred to the department of public health, whose decision will be final.
In the absence of an emergency or epidemic of disease declared by the department of public health, no child whose parent or guardian states in writing that vaccination or immunization conflicts with his sincere religious beliefs shall be required to present said physician's certificate in order to be admitted to school.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title XII - Education

Chapter 76 - School Attendance

Section 1 - Requirements and Exceptions

Section 1a - Pupil Absence Notification Programs

Section 1b - Pupil Absence Notification Program

Section 2 - Duties of Parents; Penalty

Section 2a - Attendance of Deaf Children; Penalty

Section 3 - Attendance of Illiterate Minors; Penalties

Section 4 - Inducing Absences; Penalty

Section 5 - Place of Attendance; Violations; Discrimination

Section 6 - Payment of Tuition for Non-Resident Children

Section 7 - Tuition; Children Under Control of Department of Children and Families; Foster Care; Reimbursement

Section 9 - High School Tuition of Children Under Control of Department of Public Welfare, Etc.

Section 10 - Settlements of Accounts Between Towns and Department of Public Welfare, Etc.

Section 11 - Tuition of Children in Institutions

Section 12 - Attendance Outside Place of Residence

Section 12a - Plan for Attendance in Public School to Eliminate Racial Imbalance; Adoption; Financial and Technical Assistance

Section 12b - Definitions; Attendance of School Other Than in City or Town of Residence of Child; Reports; Tuition; Parent Information System; Transportation Reimbursement Program; Funding

Section 12c - School Choice Tuition Trust Fund

Section 13 - Transfer Cards

Section 14 - Island Children; Transportation

Section 15 - Vaccination and Immunization

Section 15a - Sickle Cell Anemia; Blood Tests

Section 15b - Screening Programs, Testing, Treatment, Etc. for Sickle Cell Anemia and Related Genetically-Linked Diseases; Rules and Regulations; Records and Information, Disclosure Restricted

Section 15c - Immunization of College Health Science Students

Section 15d - Meningococcal Disease; College Students Immunization

Section 16 - Children Excluded From School; Remedies

Section 17 - Hearing Prerequisite to Exclusion

Section 18 - Notice to Parent or Guardian and Meeting With School Committee Prerequisite to Student Permanently Leaving School; Annual Report; Application of Section

Section 19 - Supervisors of Attendance; Employment

Section 20 - Powers and Duties of Supervisors of Attendance

Section 21 - Opportunity for Academic Progress for Suspended Students; Education Service Plans; Alternative Educational Services