Hundreds of Seattle Public Schools students without proof of a complete vaccination record were barred from attending class Jan. 8, the Seattle Times reports.
At 10 a.m., the beginning of the new school year, 565 students in the school district didn't have those records on file, including information on vaccine exceptions. Later that afternoon, that number had been reduced to 476 students.
In all, the district banned less than 1 percent of its students from school, Denise Juneau, district superintendent, said at a Jan. 8 school board meeting, according to the Times.
At the end of December, Seattle Public Schools announced the ban, citing state law that requires students to have immunization records that are complete or in the process of being completed to be able to attend school. They said the days students miss due to incomplete vaccination records will be recorded as unexcused absences, and students can return to school once their vaccination record is complete.
A few weeks ago, more than 2,200 students lacked vaccination records, the Times reports, and just a week ago that number was at 799.
In the last few weeks, school staff have been notifying students with incomplete records and their families via email, the U.S. Postal Service and letters sent home with students.