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U.S. school vaccination rates drop yet again as exemptions reach record high

Nbcwashington · 🇺🇸 public United States · · 737 words · By Mike Stobbe; The Associated Press
Political Influence on Science Public Health Risk Vaccine Hesitancy
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kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Monday.

Claims checked 20
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left11%
Center78%
Right11%

9 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Monday.

Why it matters

The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.2%, up from 3.6% the year before.

Common ground

That’s an estimated 155,000 children nationally during the 2025-2026 school year.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Causal Oversimplification: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/school-vaccination-rat…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Causal Oversimplification 70% confidence
Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing causal oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 20 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 10
check_circle Corroborated 6
verified Verified By Reference 2
info Single Source 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “the U.S. experiences its worst year for measles since 1991.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 2: “It’s the fourth consecutive year that the national average exemption rate has reached a new record”
SINGLE SOURCE
One source mentions this marks the 'fourth straight year of rising exemption rates', but other sources do not explicitly confirm the 'four consecutive years' record streak.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Search for help on the taskbar, use the Tips app, select the Get help link in the Settings app, or go to support.microsoft.com/windows.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-get-help-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jul 13, 2026 · Stuck on a PC issue? Learn exactly how to get help in Windows 11 instantly. Discover how to use the built-in app, Windows Copilot, or contact a live Microsoft support agent today.
https://geekzag.com/guides/computers/how-to-get-help-in-wind…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sep 27, 2022 · To find it on your computer, open the search menu and type Get Help. You can also click the start button, scroll through all the app shortcuts on the left side of the start menu, and fi…
https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to-get-help-in-windows/
schedule
Claim 3: “According to the CDC data, 17.5% of kindergartners had an exemption to one or more vaccines in Idaho in the last school year.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 4: “fewer than 0.5% did in Connecticut.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “since the Trump administration took office early last year, the agency has posted the data online.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 6: “That’s an estimated 155,000 children nationally during the 2025-2026 school year.”
CORROBORATED
A web search result specifically mentions that the rise to 4.2% represents 'about 155,000 children'.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geog…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States (U.S.) and several other countries. The U.S. Coinage Act of 1792 established the dollar as the ba…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 7: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in the antivaccine movement before President Donald Trump put him in charge of federal health agencies.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia explicitly identifies Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as an 'anti-vaccine activist' and the '26th United States secretary of health'.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Executive Order 14176, titled "Declassification of Records Concerning the Assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.", is an e…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_14176
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist serving …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_Jr.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his campaign for the 2024 United States presidential election on April 19, 2023. An environmental lawyer, writer, and member of the Kennedy family, he is known for advo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_Jr._2024_pre…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 8: “the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm that vaccine exemption rates for US kindergarteners reached a record high in the 2025-2026 school year.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Vaccine exemption rate for kindergarteners reaches record high: CDC.Vaccination exemption rates for US kindergartners reach record high. 5 days ago. By Annie Jennemann.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
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web search NEUTRAL — CDC data shows kindergarten vaccination rates declined again while vaccine exemptions hit a record high, raising concerns about measles outbreaks.
https://www.lex18.com/us-news/education/us-kindergarten-vacc…
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web search NEUTRAL — WASHINGTON (TNND) — Vaccine exemptions among U.S. kindergarteners hit a new high in the 2025-2026 school year, rising to 4.2% as vaccination coverage slipped for every childhood vaccine tracked nation…
https://13wham.com/news/nation-world/cdc-us-kindergarten-vac…
schedule
Claim 9: “All U.S. states and territories require that children attending childcare centers and schools be vaccinated against a number of diseases, including measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 10: “Trump called for revamped childhood vaccination recommendations that promote his discredited theory that childhood shots should be spaced out into separate medical visits.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny Trump's specific calls for spacing out vaccines into separate visits.
schedule
Claim 11: “In the last decade, the percentage of kindergartners with medical exemptions has held steady, at about 0.2%.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 12: “Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccination rate was 95%”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 13: “The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.2%, up from 3.6% the year before.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly state the exemption rate rose to 4.2% from 3.6% the previous year.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Kindergarten vaccine exemption rates have increased, while MMR vaccination rates have slightly declined.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/22/kindergarten…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Vaccine exemptions increased to 4.2% in the 2025-26 school year, up from 3.6% the year before and 2.1% a decade earlier.The CDC said kindergarten vaccine exemptions increased in 41 states and D.C. las…
https://wjla.com/news/nation-world/deeply-dangerous-kinderga…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This marks the fourth straight year of rising exemption rates, up from 3.6% last year and just 2.2% in the 2020–21 school year, raising concerns among public health officials about disease outbreaks a…
https://wtam.iheart.com/content/2026-08-17-vaccine-exemption…
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Claim 14: “U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources, including Newsmax and CDC-reported data via web search, confirm that kindergarten vaccination coverage fell during the 2025-2026 school year.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — US kindergarten vaccine coverage drops; Mississippi has high MMR vaccine rate.Exemptions from one or more vaccines among kindergartners in the U.S. increased to 4.2% during the 2025-2026 school year f…
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2026/08/18/us-kinde…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — U.S. kindergarten vaccination coverage fell during the 2025-2026 school year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.The CDC said coverage for the MMR, DTaP, polio and vari…
https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/vaccination-kinde…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — New findings on vaccination coverage and exemptions among kindergartners (2025-2026 school year).During the 2025-2026 school year, exemptions from one or more vaccines among kindergartners in the Unit…
https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html
schedule
Claim 15: “Vaccination rates also fell for polio, for the combination shot against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, and for the first dose of the vaccine against chickenpox.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 16: “Exemptions increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia.”
CORROBORATED
Confirmed by a cross-reference (CNBC) and multiple independent web search results stating exemptions increased in 41 states and D.C.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability and supporting evidence of effectivity. The term also includes accepting vaccines but remaining uncertain about t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_hesitancy
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Amir Hatem Mahdy Ali (born 1985) is an American lawyer and academic who is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Before becoming a judge, Ali…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Ali_(judge)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued annual recommendations for influenza vaccine formulations. One reformulation of the influenza vaccine is for the Northern Hemisphere, and the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_annual_reformulatio…
+ 4 more evidence sources
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Claim 17: “In the last 18 months, Kennedy and other federal officials have repeatedly tried to revise and reduce childhood vaccination guidance.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news reports (NBC and others) state that Kennedy and federal officials tried to revise and reduce childhood vaccination guidance in the last 18 months.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mary Kathleen Richardson Kennedy (née Richardson; October 4, 1959 – May 16, 2012) was an American interior designer, political fundraiser, and philanthropist. A proponent of green building and co-foun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Richardson_Kennedy
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy III (born September 2, 1984) is an American film director, theatre director and screenwriter. He is the eldest son of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a grandson of Robert F. K…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_III
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist serving …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy_Jr.
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 18: “The rate held steady for protection against hepatitis B.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 19: “The CDC reported that 92.4% of 2025-26 kindergarteners got their required measles-mumps-rubella shots”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While general vaccination trends are mentioned, the specific figure of 92.4% for the 2025-26 MMR shots is not present in the provided evidence.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The MMR vaccine (abbreviated as MMR) is a combination vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles). It contains the combined measles vaccine, mumps vaccine, and rubella vaccine into a …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Andrew Jeremy Wakefield (born 3 September 1956) is an English fraudster and anti-vaccine activist. Formerly a senior surgeon, he was struck off the British medical register in 2010 for "serious profes…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services (…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Disease_Control_an…
schedule
Claim 20: “All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.