Vaccine Exemption Rate For Kindergarteners Hits New Record

Vaccine exemptions among U.S. kindergartners increased to a record high of 4.2% for the 2025–26 school year, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday (August 17). This marks the fourth straight year of rising exemption rates, up from 3.6% last year and just 2.2% in the 2020–21 school year, raising concerns among public health officials about disease outbreaks and declining community immunity.

The CDC’s latest findings show that an estimated 155,000 kindergarteners nationwide were exempted from one or more required vaccines—mostly for nonmedical reasons, such as religious or personal beliefs—despite long-standing requirements for vaccines like measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP), and chickenpox for school entry. According to the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, exemption rates increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia. Seventeen states reported exemption rates over 5%, with Idaho having the highest at 15.4%.

Vaccine coverage for key immunizations continues to fall below the 95% threshold recommended to prevent outbreaks. The CDC reported that only 92.4% of kindergarteners were vaccinated against MMR, down from pre-pandemic levels. This decrease comes as the U.S. faces its worst measles year since 1991, with more than 1,300 cases confirmed so far in 2026—a level that threatens the country’s elimination status for the disease.

Nearly all states allow medical exemptions, but most also permit exemptions for religious or personal reasons. While medical exemptions have remained steady at about 0.2%, the share of nonmedical exemptions has risen in recent years.

Public health officials continue to encourage parents to consult with their doctors about vaccination options as the new school year begins. The CDC warns that clusters of unvaccinated children can lead to more severe outbreaks, especially as school attendance mandates remain a primary defense against disease spread.