School vaccination rates inch down again to record low
Summary
Vaccination rates among U.S. kindergarten children slightly dropped again in the 2025-26 school year, while more parents are choosing to exempt their kids from vaccines for reasons other than medical issues. Experts link this decline partly to recent changes and mixed messaging about vaccine recommendations from federal health officials under President Donald Trump’s administration.Key Facts
- About 4.2% of kindergarten children were exempted from vaccines in 2025-26, up from 3.6% the previous year, totaling roughly 155,000 kids.
- Exemption rates have set new records for four years in a row and rose in 41 states plus Washington, D.C.
- Vaccination coverage for measles, mumps, and rubella decreased slightly to 92.4%, down from 95% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Rates also fell for polio, the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combo vaccine, and chickenpox vaccines, while hepatitis B vaccine rates stayed steady.
- Health experts say confusion caused by changing federal vaccine guidelines has contributed to the drop in vaccination rates.
- President Donald Trump has promoted spacing out childhood vaccines across multiple doctor visits, a practice not supported by most medical research.
- The U.S. is experiencing its worst measles outbreak since 1991, with over 250,000 kindergarten children possibly vulnerable.
- Public health officials emphasize the importance of vaccines to keep children healthy and prevent disease outbreaks in schools.
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