US kindergarten vaccine coverage falls as exemptions hit record high

The CDC reports that U.S. kindergarten vaccination coverage fell during the 2025-2026 school year, while vaccine exemptions rose to a record 4.2%. This decline coincides with a surge of 2,566 confirmed measles cases in 2026, the highest in over 35 years. Amid these trends, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to limit the childhood immunization schedule to 11 shots and split the MMR vaccine, while the CDC maintains that a 95% vaccination rate is critical for community safety.

Kindergarten vaccination coverage decline

• ▪During the 2025-2026 school year, U.S. kindergarten vaccination coverage ranged from 92% for the DTaP vaccine to 92.4% for the MMR and polio vaccines.
• ▪U.S. kindergarten vaccination coverage fell during the 2025-2026 school year, with overall coverage declining by 0.1% year-on-year.
• ▪Coverage for the MMR, DTaP, polio, and varicella vaccines decreased in more than half of U.S. states during the 2025-2026 school year compared to the previous year.
• ▪Approximately 280,000 U.S. kindergartners attended school without documentation of completing the MMR vaccine series during the 2025-2026 school year.

Vaccine exemption rates

• ▪Vaccine exemptions among U.S. kindergartners increased to 4.2% during the 2025-2026 school year, up from 3.6% in the previous school year.
• ▪During the 2025-2026 school year, vaccine exemptions rose in 41 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., with 24 states reporting exemption rates exceeding 5%.

Measles outbreak surge

• ▪The rise in U.S. measles cases coincides with a steady decline in childhood MMR vaccination rates that began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• ▪The United States has recorded 2,566 confirmed measles infections in 2026, marking the highest number of cases the country has experienced in more than 35 years.

Trump childhood vaccine order

• ▪U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in August 2026 calling for fewer childhood vaccinations by limiting the inoculation schedule to 11 immunizations.
• ▪The August 2026 executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump recommended splitting the combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine into three separate shots taken at separate visits.

CDC vaccination rate targets

• ▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that at least 95% of a population must receive two doses of the measles vaccine to prevent outbreaks and maintain community safety.
• ▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on August 17, 2026, that while overall vaccination rates among kindergartners remained high, coverage continues to decline.

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