U.S. kindergarten vaccine exemptions rise to 4.2% in 2025-26 school year
CDC data show exemption rates for required vaccines among kindergarteners increased to 4.2%, while overall vaccination coverage slipped slightly nationwide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that exemption rates for required childhood vaccines among kindergarten students in the 2025-2026 school year rose to 4.2%, up from 3.6% the previous year. The increase represents roughly 155,000 children with exemptions in at least one vaccine and occurred in 41 states and the District of Columbia.
During the same period, national vaccination coverage fell across all tracked vaccines, ranging from 92.0% for DTaP to 92.4% for MMR and polio. More than half of the states saw declines in coverage for MMR, DTaP, polio and varicella. About 280,000 kindergarteners attended school without documented proof of completing the MMR series.
Overall kindergarten vaccination coverage dropped about 0.1 percentage point from the prior school year. Public health officials note that maintaining coverage near 95% for measles is important to prevent outbreaks, and the current data show that nearly half of states now have exemption rates above 5%, a level associated with increased risk of under-vaccinated clusters.