US kindergarten vaccine exemptions reached a record 4.2% during the 2025–2026 school year, while vaccination coverage declined again. About 155,000 kindergartners had exemptions from at least 1 required vaccine, according to federal data, reports Baltimore Chronicle. The figures were published by the CDC and reported by The Associated Press.
Kindergarten Vaccine Exemptions Rise Across Most States
The exemption rate climbed from 3.6% during 2024–2025 to 4.2% in 2025–2026. Exemptions increased in 41 states and Washington, D.C.
CDC figures show 24 states now have exemption rates above 5%. The national trend has moved in the same direction for several consecutive years.
Key figures for the latest school year are:
| Indicator | 2025–2026 |
|---|---|
| Vaccine exemptions | 4.2% |
| Children with exemptions | About 155,000 |
| MMR vaccination coverage | 92.4% |
| States above 5% exemptions | 24 |
| Children lacking completed MMR documentation | About 280,000 |
The CDC says vaccination coverage declined for every vaccine included in its latest national report. Coverage ranged from 92.0% for DTaP to 92.4% for MMR and polio.
MMR Vaccination Rate Falls Further Below 95%
The MMR vaccination rate among kindergartners fell to 92.4%. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, national coverage was around 95%.
The CDC says community coverage above 95% provides strong protection against widespread measles transmission. Local conditions can differ sharply from national averages.
That distinction matters because unvaccinated children are often concentrated within particular communities. Those clusters can allow an imported measles case to develop into a larger outbreak.
Measles Cases Add Urgency to Falling Vaccination Rates
The decline comes during an unusually severe year for measles in the United States. The CDC measles tracker recorded 2,566 confirmed cases as of August 13, 2026.
That total already exceeds the 2,289 cases reported during all of 2025. The CDC also reported 38 outbreaks during 2026, with 94% of confirmed cases linked to outbreaks.
North Carolina health officials have urged families to review children’s vaccination records before school starts. Health Secretary Dev Sangvai said vaccines help keep children healthy and in classrooms, according to an August 17 state statement.
Nonmedical Exemptions Drive the Increase
Medical exemptions remain comparatively rare. AP reports that their national rate has stayed near 0.2% during the past decade.
The larger change involves religious and other nonmedical exemptions. Requirements differ by state, producing major differences in vaccination coverage.
Idaho recorded exemptions for 17.5% of kindergartners, according to the latest CDC data cited by AP. Connecticut remained below 0.5%.
National averages therefore hide communities where vaccination gaps are considerably larger.
What the CDC Data Means for the New School Year
Schools bring large numbers of children into close daily contact. That makes vaccination coverage especially relevant when highly contagious diseases are circulating.
The CDC advises parents to discuss vaccination options with their healthcare providers. State health departments are also using the back-to-school period to encourage families to check required and recommended immunizations.
The latest numbers show the central problem clearly: exemptions are increasing while protection against measles and several other diseases is slipping.
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