{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-38-501","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 38-501","heading":"Definitions.","body":"For the purpose of this chapter:\n\n(1)\nThe term \"admit\" means a student's official enrollment in a school, child development facility, or college or university.\n\n(2)\nThe term “certification of immunization” means  certification by a healthcare professional authorized to administer a vaccine, his or her representative, or the public health authorities of the immunizations that a student has received or from which the student has a medical or religious exemption.\n\n(2A)\nRepealed.\n\n(3)\nThe term \"student\" means a person who is admitted to or seeks admission to a school, child development facility, or college or university, or for whom admission is sought by a parent or guardian, and who will not attain the age of 26 years before the start of the term for which admission is sought.\n\n(4)\nThe term \"immunization\" means the receipt of the initial vaccination and any boosters or revaccinations required to maintain immunity against a communicable disease.\n\n(5)\nThe term “Mayor” means the Mayor of the District of Columbia.\n\n(6)\nThe term “public health authorities” means the official or officials of the executive branch of the government of the District of Columbia designated by the Mayor pursuant to this chapter.\n\n(7)\nThe term “responsible person” means, in the case of a student under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian of the student, but in the case of a student 18 years of age or older, the student .\n\n(8)\nThe term “school” means:\n(A)\nA District of Columbia Public Schools school or a public charter school serving any grades pre-K through 12; and\n(B)\nA private, parochial, or independent school that offers instruction at any level or grade from pre-K through 12;\n(C)\nRepealed.\n(D)\nRepealed.\n\n(9)\nThe term \"child development facility\" means a licensed center, home, expanded home, or other structure that provides care and other services, supervision and guidance for children, infants, and toddlers on a regular basis, regardless of its designated name. The term \"Child development facility\" does not include a school engaged in legally required educational and related functions or a pre-K education program licensed pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 2A of this title.\n\n(10)\nThe term \"college or university\" means any post-secondary educational institution authorized, created, or incorporated by special act of the Congress of the United States or the Council or required to be licensed by the District of Columbia pursuant to Chapter 13 of this title.\n\n(11)\nThe term \"exclusion standards\" means standards for barring students who do not comply with the immunization requirements of this chapter and the rules issued pursuant to this chapter from attending schools and child development facilities.\n\n(12)\nThe term \"LEA\" means local education agency, which is the District of Columbia Public Schools system or any individual public charter school or group of public charter schools operating under a single charter.\n\n(13)\nThe term \"list of immunizations\" means the list of immunizations, established by the Mayor pursuant to § 38-503, required to be included on a certification of immunization.","path":["Title 38. Educational Institutions.","Chapter 5. Immunization of School Students."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/38-501","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"4583161186540f895d2fd422182341502da6729ef67f0763c7f00fc363a6ae6c","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-38-471","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-38-502"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}