Riley Nagel

Bakersfield Neighborhood Reporter

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — New CDC data shows kindergarten vaccination rates are slipping across the country, raising questions about how many children are starting school without all of their required shots.

National vaccination coverage among kindergarteners fell by 0.1% for all reported vaccines during the 2025-26 school year. At the same time, exemptions from one or more vaccines rose to 4.2%, up from 3.6% the year before.

The CDC says about 280,000 kindergarteners nationwide went into the 2025-26 school year without documentation of completing the MMR series.

The report follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s visit to Kern County, where he described vaccine hesitancy as part of a broader crisis of public trust.

"If the public does not trust the public health agencies, we are not going to have public health," Kennedy said.

The latest CDC data show California's kindergarten MMR rate at 95.7%. According to the state's 2024-25 data, Kern County's overall immunization rate was 85.4%, which included virtual schools. When looking at classroom-based schools, that rate rises to 93.7%, similar to the state average. Kern Public Health says virtual schools may be exempt from immunization requirements.

California law requires children entering TK through 12th grade to have documentation of required vaccinations. Unlike many states, California does not allow religious or personal-belief exemptions.

Some students can still be admitted conditionally while they complete their vaccine series. Schools are required to follow up with families, and if a child does not come into compliance, that student can be excluded from school.

Kern Public Health says the rise in exemptions nationwide is largely being driven by non-medical exemptions, while California's medical exemption rate has remained stable.

Nationwide vaccination coverage continues to edge down, meaning even states with strict vaccination laws like California are watching their numbers closely.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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