U.S. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing that 4.2% of U.S. kindergarteners, approximately 155,000 children, had at least one vaccine exemption during the 2025-26 school year. The rate increased from 3.6% in the previous school year. The vast majority of these exemptions were labeled as non-medical, indicating parents opted out for personal or religious reasons rather than health reasons.

This figure marks the fourth consecutive year that the national average kindergarten vaccine exemption rate has reached a new record. Medical vaccine exemptions remained stable at 0.2%, while forty-one states and Washington, D.C. reported increases in vaccine exemptions.

Routine vaccination coverage for kindergarteners dropped to 92.4% for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Coverage also fell to 92% for the diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTaP) vaccine. Vaccination rates declined for polio, the combination shot against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, and the first dose of the vaccine against chickenpox, while the rate for hepatitis B held steady.

Approximately 280,000 kindergartners did not have a record of receiving both doses of the MMR vaccine before school last year. Two doses of the MMR vaccine offer 97% protection against measles, usually for life. Medical experts state that 95% community vaccination coverage is needed against measles to prevent outbreaks.

As of Monday, the U.S. had recorded 2,566 measles cases in 2026. The U.S. is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in 35 years. There are ongoing measles outbreaks in several states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Utah. Ninety-three percent of people diagnosed with measles in 2026 were unvaccinated.

The U.S. achieved elimination of measles from circulation in 2000. The Pan American Health Organization is expected to make a decision on the U.S. measles elimination status in November.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to drive down the number of vaccines recommended for children. Trump called for revamped childhood vaccination recommendations that promote spacing out childhood shots into separate medical visits. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the U.S. Health Secretary.

Kennedy was a leading voice in the antivaccine movement before being appointed to lead federal health agencies. In the last 18 months, Kennedy and other federal officials have repeatedly tried to revise and reduce childhood vaccination guidance.

All U.S. states require certain vaccines for children entering public school. All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. Most states permit exemptions for religious or other nonmedical reasons.

Only four states do not allow exemptions that are not for medical reasons: California, Connecticut, Maine and New York. The share of students with a vaccine exemption is twice as high as it was a decade ago.

The CDC posted the vaccination data online rather than in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The agency issued a three-sentence statement noting a small decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten. "CDC continues to encourage parents to discuss vaccination options with their doctors," the statement said.

Ohio’s kindergarten vaccine exemption rate was 5.7%, up from 4.7% the previous year. Connecticut had a kindergarten vaccine exemption rate of fewer than 0.5% during the last school year. "It’s disappointing, but not surprising," David Margolius, Director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health, said. "It’s indicative of the lack of clear messaging at the national level about vaccines." James Campbell, Chair of the Infectious Diseases Committee at the American Academy of Pediatrics, said, "The root cause of this is primarily because there’s so much chaos and confusion in vaccination recommendation systems in the last year or so." Dev Sangvai, Secretary of North Carolina Health and Human Services, said, "Back-to-school season is an important reminder that protecting our children’s health is both a shared responsibility and a shared goal." Sangvai added, "Vaccines help keep our children and teens healthy and in the classroom."

Why It Matters

The rise in vaccine exemptions coincides with an increase in measles cases, the highest in 35 years, and ongoing outbreaks in multiple states. With 93% of 2026 measles cases occurring in unvaccinated individuals, the drop in MMR coverage below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity presents a public health challenge. The Pan American Health Organization's upcoming decision on U.S. measles elimination status adds international scrutiny to domestic vaccination trends.

Federal policy shifts, including an executive order signed by President Donald Trump to reduce recommended vaccines and efforts by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to revise guidance, have introduced changes to national vaccination messaging. Medical experts attribute the rise in non-medical exemptions to confusion resulting from these policy adjustments. The data reveals a decade-long trend where exemption rates have doubled, reflecting a sustained shift in parental decisions regarding school-entry vaccinations.

What's New

Later reporting indicated that Ohio’s non-medical exemption rate for kindergartners during the 2024-2025 school year was 4.5%, higher than the U.S. median of 4%. The Ohio Department of Health launched an interactive dashboard in 2026 to provide public access to kindergarten immunization data, including MMR, DTaP, and varicella vaccine rates by county and school.

Additional context confirmed that all states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. Most states permit exemptions for religious or other nonmedical reasons. Dev Sangvai, Secretary of North Carolina Health and Human Services, stated that back-to-school season is an important reminder that protecting our children’s health is both a shared responsibility and a shared goal. Sangvai also noted that vaccines help keep our children and teens healthy and in the classroom.

Reports further detailed that in the last 18 months, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other federal officials have repeatedly tried to revise and reduce childhood vaccination guidance. James Campbell, Chair of the Infectious Diseases Committee at the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated that the root cause of this is primarily because there’s so much chaos and confusion in vaccination recommendation systems in the last year or so.

How Sources Differ

Data regarding exemption rates in other states also varied by source. One report cited Ohio’s non-medical exemption rate for kindergartners during the 2024-2025 school year as 4.5%, higher than the U.S. median of 4%. A different source noted that Connecticut had a kindergarten vaccine exemption rate of fewer than 0.5% during the last school year.