The LAUSD physical form is the district’s own preparticipation health questionnaire and exam record that every student has to turn in before joining an interscholastic sports team. To get your child cleared, you need four things: the printed LAUSD form, an appointment with a California-licensed physician or physician assistant who will complete and stamp it, a Home Campus account for the online clearance packet, and the original signed form delivered to the school’s athletic department.
Where to Download the Form
LAUSD uses its own version rather than the generic California Interscholastic Federation packet. The current document, titled “LAUSD Questionaire and Physical Form,” is posted on the CIF Los Angeles City Section website in English and Spanish.1CIF Los Angeles City Section. Required Forms for Participation Individual school athletic pages also host copies; Los Angeles High School, for example, links to a downloadable version from its athletics page.2Los Angeles High School. Athletic Department – Forms / Helpful Links / ARC Print it before the doctor’s visit so the provider can complete their sections in the office.
What You Fill Out Before the Appointment
The form is split in two. Parents and the student complete the health history at home; the doctor handles the exam page.
The history section follows the standard CIF format and asks about:3CIF Southern Section. Preparticipation Physical Evaluation – History Form
- Heart symptoms during exercise (chest pain, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath) and any family history of sudden cardiac death or genetic heart conditions.
- Past fractures, sprains, or current joint pain.
- Asthma, concussion history, heat illness, sickle cell trait, vision problems, and whether the student is missing an organ such as a spleen or kidney.
- A four-question PHQ-4 mental health screen for anxiety and depression. A score of three or higher on either subscale flags the need for follow-up.
- Menstrual history, for female athletes.
- All current medications, supplements, and allergies. Leaving these blank when the student actually takes something is the quickest way to get your packet bounced at review.
Both the student and a parent or guardian sign the history page. For athletes under 18, the parent signature is mandatory.
Who Can Perform and Sign the Exam
California Education Code Section 49458 authorizes a “physician and surgeon or physician assistant” to perform athletic physicals.4California Legislative Information. California Code Education Code 49458 – Physical Examinations In California, “physician and surgeon” covers both MDs and DOs, and physician assistants must be practicing under proper supervision. Chiropractors, naturopaths, and unlicensed medical staff are not authorized to sign.
At the appointment the provider measures height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and vision, then runs a full systems check with particular attention to the heart and musculoskeletal exam.3CIF Southern Section. Preparticipation Physical Evaluation – History Form The last page is a medical eligibility determination with outcomes ranging from cleared without restriction, to cleared pending further evaluation, to not eligible. A student cleared with limits (no contact sports after a concussion, for example) will have those spelled out, and that eligibility page is what the school ultimately uses.
Three things on the completed form matter at submission: the provider’s signature, the date, and the office stamp. LAUSD schools specifically look for the stamp as proof the exam happened in a legitimate medical office.5Eagle Rock High School. Eligibility Paperwork and Forms A form without a stamp or with an illegible signature gets kicked back. If you’re unsure whether your provider qualifies, call the school’s athletic director before the appointment rather than after.
How Long the Physical Is Valid
A physical is good for up to one year, but it cannot expire at any point during the sports season. If the exam date would fall mid-season, the student needs a new one before the season starts.
Submitting Through Home Campus
LAUSD athletic departments process clearances through an online platform called Home Campus. Parents create an account, complete the consent forms digitally, and upload supporting documents including the student’s health insurance card.6North Hollywood Senior High. Athletic Paperwork The online piece alone is not enough. Athletes also have to hand in the original signed physical form to their coach or athletic director, and several LAUSD high schools explicitly refuse photocopies.5Eagle Rock High School. Eligibility Paperwork and Forms
A complete clearance packet usually includes:
- The original physical form with doctor signature and office stamp.
- The Home Campus confirmation page, printed and signed by the parent.
- A copy of the student’s health insurance card, uploaded to Home Campus.
- An emergency contact card for use during practices and games.
Review typically takes two to three business days.7Los Angeles Unified School District. Athletic Participation Paperwork The student cannot practice or compete until clearance is confirmed. Make a personal copy of the completed form before handing in the original; if the school misplaces it, you don’t want to pay for another exam.
Free and Low-Cost Options
A sports physical at a walk-in or urgent care clinic generally runs $30 to $75 out of pocket. Two routes can bring that to zero.
LAUSD runs its own Student Medical Services program, which provides free physical examinations to district students and their siblings ages 1 through 18 who lack health insurance or a regular doctor.8LAUSD Student Medical Services. LAUSD School-Based Health Centers and Services Your school’s main office can point you to the nearest school-based health center.
Children on Medi-Cal are covered under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, which requires comprehensive physical exams at age-appropriate intervals for anyone under 21.9Medicaid.gov. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment The sports physical is covered at any participating provider at no cost. Bring the LAUSD form with you so the doctor fills out the district’s version rather than a generic one.
A Note on Enrollment Versus Athletics
The LAUSD physical form is for sports participation. General school enrollment no longer requires a physical exam; the PM 171 health screening certificate tied to the Child Health and Disability Prevention program is no longer required for school entry after that program was discontinued effective July 1, 2024.10County of San Diego. School Entry Health Requirements Immunization records are still mandatory to enroll.
Families in unstable housing should also know that the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act requires schools to enroll students experiencing homelessness immediately, defined as the same or the following day, even when immunization records, medical records, or proof of residency are unavailable, and that enrollment includes full participation in school activities.11National Center for Homeless Education. From the School Office to the Classroom – Strategies for Enrolling and Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness The school works with the family to gather records once the student is already attending.