Vaccine Exemptions Are Rising Across America. What Parents Need to Know Before the New School Year
New school-year health paperwork is arriving as childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. remain below pre-pandemic levels. The latest national data shows a record share of kindergarten students entered school with vaccine exemptions during the 2025-26 school year, while coverage for several routine shots slipped or stayed flat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC says exemptions reached a new high
The CDC released new kindergarten vaccination data on Monday and reported that the exemption rate for routine vaccines rose to 4.2% in the 2025-26 school year. That is up from 3.6% in 2024-25 and 2.2% in 2020-21, according to the agency. The data also showed most of those exemptions were non-medical.
The same CDC report showed measles, mumps and rubella vaccination coverage edged down to 92.4%. Doctors have said 95% coverage is the level generally needed to help maintain herd immunity. Varicella vaccination fell from 94% to 93.4%, while two-dose varicella coverage inched up from 92.1% to 92.2%.
Coverage for DTaP, or diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, slipped from 92.1% to 92% in the latest school year. Hepatitis B vaccination rates held steady from the prior year, according to the CDC.
What the numbers look like across the country
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The national figures matter locally because school vaccine requirements and exemption rules are enforced state by state. The CDC data confirmed Idaho had the highest exemption rate in the 2025-26 school year at 17.5%, followed by Utah, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada. California, New York and West Virginia had the lowest exemption rates at 0.1%, followed by Connecticut and Maine.
What is not yet clear from the national snapshot is how exemption patterns break down in every local school district before the new school year begins. The CDC data identifies state-level trends, but it does not provide a full district-by-district picture in this summary. That means some parents may see very different school-level vaccination rates depending on where they live.
For families handling enrollment forms, the practical takeaway is that exemption rules and vaccine records can look different across state lines. The confirmed national trend is that more kindergarteners are entering school with exemptions than in prior years.
Why health officials say this is happening
Dr. David Margolius, director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health and chair-elect of the Big Cities Health Coalition, said the trend is concerning. He told ABC News that childhood vaccination rates have been declining for some time. He also said it is not fully clear whether the rise in exemptions reflects more opposition to vaccines, more logistical barriers, or both.
Margolius said the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many families’ relationships with regular pediatricians. In Cleveland, he said, some people are only now reconnecting with their usual source of care after several years of disruption. He also said there is more apathy and confusion around vaccine-preventable illnesses.
For parents heading into the new school year, the current picture is straightforward: exemption rates are up, and coverage for several routine childhood vaccines remains below pre-pandemic benchmarks. The CDC data does not forecast what the 2026-27 school year will look like, but it confirms that the national shift seen since 2020-21 has continued.
