The cut-off date for most districts is April 30th, for some it's May 1st.
This is all because there were some new requirements set last August. They include the following:
-Kids should have a 2nd dose of the mumps vaccine and the Varicella vaccine for chicken pox.
-Students in 7th grade are asked to have a dose of the meningitis vaccine and another TDAP dose that covers tetanus, diptheria and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
There was a grace period for parents to get their kids up-to-date. But that is coming to an end, and unless a child is exempt, the school districts can soon take action.
"The schools will be able to exclude, or keep the children out of school if they don't have the necessary information," Harriet Morton of the Montgomery County Health Department told Action News.
Montgomery County alone says 11,000 children may not meet the new rules.
Health officials hope stepped-up enforcement will mean fewer cases of diseases like whooping cough.
This past winter, schools in West Chester, Malvern, and Cherry Hill all had outbreaks.
Bonnie Johns of Elkins Park, Pa. knows about whooping cough first-hand. Several years ago, the bacteria spread from her son to 5 other family members, including Bonnie and 2 infant grandchildren.
Everyone recovered, but Bonnie can't forget the experience.
"You can't breathe, you can't sleep at night," she said. "My ribs were hurting. I took myself to the hospital one time because I thought I had cracked a rib or something from coughing all night."
For babies, whooping cough can be deadly. It can lead pneumonia or brain damage. That's why it's vital for adults and older kids to be fully-vaccinated to protect themselves and infants not old enough for the vaccine.
Bonnie now reminds people to get their booster shots.
"I tell anybody who will listen," she said.
In some cases kids may have all their shots but the information hasn't made it to the school, so check with your pediatrician about that.
Also, if they are missing some shots you can call your local health department. Many in Pennsylvania are holding special clinics this month to help everyone meet the requirements.
