Kindergarten Vaccine Exemptions Hit All-Time High as Coverage Slips
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates fell again, with exemptions rising to a record 4.2% for the 2025-2026 school year. The decline marks the fourth consecutive year of record exemption rates, driven largely by nonmedical reasons. Experts attribute the trend to confusion and chaos in vaccination recommendations from federal health officials.
The federal data, released online rather than through the agency's traditional weekly report, shows exemptions climbed in 41 states plus the District of Columbia. Most exemptions stem from parental choice rather than medical necessity, leaving an estimated 155,000 kindergartners unvaccinated.
Beyond measles, coverage dipped for polio, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, and chickenpox, while hepatitis B remained stable. The current measles outbreak is the nation's worst since 1991, with over a quarter-million entering students considered vulnerable, though their distribution is uneven across regions.
The sustained drop in routine immunization could lead to more frequent and localized outbreaks of preventable diseases, particularly in communities with clustered exemptions. Parents navigating conflicting federal guidance may face increased uncertainty about school entry requirements. Public health systems could see heightened strain as they respond to emerging cases, while schools and childcare centers may grapple with higher absenteeism. The trend may also widen health disparities if vulnerable populations are disproportionately exposed to unvaccinated cohorts.