The exemption rate for kindergartners entering school for the 2025-2026 year reached 4.2%, the highest level on record, according to data the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published through its SchoolVaxView surveillance system on August 17, 2026. That is up from 3.6% the year before, and coverage declined for every routine childhood vaccine the agency tracks.
The CDC's data, drawn from state and District of Columbia school immunization records, put national coverage among kindergartners at 92.4% for the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, 92.0% for DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), 92.4% for polio, and 92.2% for the two-dose varicella series. All four fall below the roughly 95% coverage level public health researchers generally consider necessary to sustain herd immunity against measles. The agency estimated that about 155,000 kindergartners held an exemption and roughly 280,000 lacked documentation of a completed MMR series.
How does this connect to measles activity?
The CDC's separate measles surveillance page, last updated August 14, 2026, reported 2,566 confirmed U.S. measles cases for the year as of August 13, with 94% of cases tied to an identified outbreak and 38 new outbreaks logged in 2026 alone. The agency states plainly that when the virus reaches communities with lower vaccination coverage, outbreaks can follow — but the exemption data on their own describe a national pattern, not a case-by-case cause of any single outbreak, and the two datasets track different things: one measures school-entry paperwork, the other measures confirmed infections.
| School year | Kindergarten exemption rate |
|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 2.2% |
| 2024-2025 | 3.6% |
| 2025-2026 | 4.2% |
Exemption rates also varied widely by state, with 24 states and the District of Columbia reporting rates above 5%, ABC News reported August 18, 2026, citing the CDC release. Most exemptions nationally were non-medical rather than for a documented medical contraindication. Dr. David Margolius, director of the Cleveland Department of Public Health, told ABC News the trend was "concerning" and pointed to both vaccine opposition and pandemic-era disruptions to routine pediatric care as contributing factors — an assessment from a local health official, not a CDC conclusion about causes.
When should a parent talk to a clinician?
The CDC's routine immunization schedule places the second MMR dose, the fifth DTaP dose, and the second varicella dose in the 4-to-6-year age range, the window that covers most kindergarten enrollment. Parents unsure whether a child's vaccinations are current, or considering a non-medical exemption, can ask a pediatrician or family doctor to review the child's immunization record against that schedule at a routine well-child visit. This article describes published surveillance data; it is not medical advice, and specific vaccination decisions should be made with a clinician.
For more context, read The Ultimate Guide to Dental Crown Care and Maintenance.