Last updated November 01, 2023, 11:02 a.m.

Reasons your student may be too sick for school

There are various medical conditions which may require your child to stay home from school. Below are some signs your child should stay home from school:

  • Appearance, Behavior – unusually tired, pale, lack of appetite, difficult to wake, confused or irritable
  • Fever – temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Student needs to be fever free (without using fever-reducing medications) for 24 hours before returning to school
  • Eyes – white or yellow drainage, matted eyelids after sleep, vision change, eye pain and/or redness
  • Ear Pain with Fever – Untreated ear infections may cause permanent hearing loss so, consult with the student’s health care provider.
  • Persistent Nasal Drainage And/Or Chronic Cough – may need to be seen by a health care provider. These may be signs of a condition that may spread to others and require treatment.
  • Sore Throat – especially with fever or swollen glands in the neck. A student with a confirmed diagnosis of strep throat may return to school after 24 hours of appropriate treatment.
  • Diarrhea – 3 or more watery stools in a 24-hour period, especially if the student acts/looks ill or is not eating
  • Vomiting – vomiting 1 or more times within the past 24 hours. May return to school after 24 hours without vomiting and no other symptoms
  • Rash – body rash, especially with fever or itching. Exceptions are rashes due to heat, diapers, and allergic reactions which are not spread to others.
  • Scabies – Students with scabies may return to school 24 hours after beginning treatment.
  • Chickenpox – Students are infectious 1 – 2 days before the rash appears and until the blisters (sores) are dry and crusted. This is usually 5‐6 days after the rash appears.  Students need to stay home until all lesions have crusted over and there are no new lesions in 24 hours.  If your child has chicken pox, alert the school nurse.
  • COVID-19 – Students who have symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home and be tested and/or see a health care provider. View the latest guidance here.
    If you have one or more changed or worsening symptoms stay home and test for COVID-19 or see a healthcare provider

Keeping ill students at home & encouraging frequent hand washing protects all, including those with fragile immune systems & certain medical conditions. While we regret any inconvenience, it may result in fewer lost workdays & less illness for family members.

If you have questions, please contact your school nurse.


The Bellevue School District acknowledges that we learn, work, live and gather on the Indigenous Land of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish and Snoqualmie Tribes. We thank these caretakers of this land, who have lived and continue to live here, since time immemorial.