(a)(1) Prior to admission to school for the first time, a parent or legal guardian shall present to the school entity or nonpublic school certification from a primary care provider or vision screener that the child has passed or failed a vision screening performed by a primary care provider or a vision screening conducted by screeners with specific training in vision screening techniques and protocols approved by the Department of Health or has completed a comprehensive eye exam conducted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist within the previous twelve months.

(2) The Advisory Health Board shall promulgate regulations to establish vision screening standards based on instrument-based vision screening technologies or visual acuity testing, taking into consideration national guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

(b)(1) Every school year at a school entity or nonpublic school, until a child completes the fifth grade and at least every two years thereafter until the child graduates from the twelfth grade, the child shall have a vision screening performed by school health personnel or screeners with specific training in vision screening techniques and protocols approved by the Advisory Health Board. The results of the vision screening shall be supplied to the parent or legal guardian of the child.

(2) For a child who fails a required vision screening, a comprehensive eye examination, performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, shall also be required. Notification of the parent or legal guardian of the failed screening shall be accompanied by notification of requirement for a comprehensive examination that must be completed within one hundred twenty (120) days or before the start of the next school year, whichever comes first, and a list of vision resources compiled by the Department of Health. Notification may also include a form, to be completed by the examining ophthalmologist or optometrist, to be used for reporting the results of the examination. The report may include, but not be limited to, the following:

(3) The examination report may be accompanied by an envelope for return of the form to school health personnel so the completion status and result of the examination under paragraph (2) may be recorded.