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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Minnesota School Health Leader Honored After District Raises Immunization Compliance to 99.8 Percent
ROSEMOUNT, MN (August 25, 2026) A Minnesota school health leader has received statewide recognition after her district used outreach and school-based clinics to bring nearly every student into compliance with immunization documentation requirements.
The Minnesota Department of Health named Mary Langworthy, health services coordinator for Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools, Minnesota’s 2026 Immunization Champion.
The award is presented in partnership with the Association of Immunization Managers and recognizes individuals who make significant contributions to improving immunization rates and public health.
At the beginning of the previous school year, more than 6,000 students in District 196 were behind on required vaccinations or did not have the appropriate documentation on file, according to the Health Department.
Langworthy and the district’s health-services team conducted direct outreach to families and organized 14 school-based immunization clinics. Seven months later, 99.8 percent of students had received the required vaccinations or submitted legally recognized exemption documentation.
That figure represents compliance with Minnesota’s school immunization requirements. It should not be interpreted as meaning 99.8 percent of students were vaccinated because state law allows qualifying medical and nonmedical exemptions.
District 196 serves approximately 29,000 students at 35 schools in Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan and surrounding communities.
The district’s health team plans to continue offering clinics during the 2026-2027 school year. School-based clinics can help families address transportation, scheduling, insurance and provider-access barriers that sometimes delay required vaccinations.
Minnesota health officials encourage parents and guardians to review their children’s immunization records before the beginning of school and contact their healthcare provider or school health office if records are incomplete.
The Immunization Champion award recognizes recipients across all 50 states, eight U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. The Minnesota recognition was announced during National Immunization Awareness Month.
Families seeking information about school immunization requirements, exemption documentation or recommended vaccine schedules should use official state and school-district resources.
Official source: Minnesota Department of Health announcement
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