Twenty-five students were excluded from Albany schools this morning because of incomplete immunization records.

State law requires that all children in public and private schools, preschools, Head Start and certified child care facilities be up to date on immunizations unless they have a religious or medical exemption. Today, Feb. 20, is exclusion day.

Elsewhere in the mid-valley, nine students were excluded from Sweet Home, 10 from Lebanon including two from Sand Ridge Charter School, three from Scio and one from Jefferson.

Harrisburg had four so far, with possibly five more in its afternoon kindergarten program, said Kathy Heckart, administrative assistant. Figures for Central Linn were not immediately available.

Oregon Connections Academy, Scio's online charter school, disabled the log-in capability of 74 students whose shot records weren't up to date, according to an administrative assistant.

Immunization laws also apply to virtual schools because students occasionally gather to take tests.

The number of students kept out of class in mid-valley schools is smaller than in recent years.

Lebanon turned away 24 last year, district nurse Leslie Shortridge said. "I'd say it was quite an improvement."

Nurses say they expect numbers to rise next year because as of this fall, requirements will change. One dose of hepatitis A vaccine will be needed for children to begin kindergarten, preschool and child care, and a second dose is required about six months after the first.

One dose of a tetanus and diphtheria booster known as Tdap will be required for seventh-graders. Tdap also protects against pertussis or whooping cough.

About 600 letters were sent home this year, said Karyn Walker of the Linn County Health Department.

Stacy de Assis Matthews, the state's immunization law coordinator, said state exclusion figures likely won't be available for a few days, until reports are received from all county sites.