Maryland education officials are closely monitoring kindergarten immunization numbers as the 2025‑2026 school year gets underway. State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright told reporters that a modest drop in measles‑vaccine coverage among kindergartners, coupled with an increase in religious exemptions, is “cause for concern because there are children that have died from having the measles.”
State and national vaccination trends
National data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that overall measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage fell to 92.4% for the 2025‑2026 school year, down from 92.5% the year before. The same CDC figures indicate that the share of children exempted from vaccination rose from 3.6% to 4.2%.
Maryland’s own numbers
Maryland’s Department of Health reports a slightly higher statewide measles‑vaccine rate, climbing from 96.4% in 2024‑2025 to 96.7% in 2025‑2026. However, the exemption rate also increased, moving from 2.2% to 2.5% of kindergarten students. Most of those exemptions were requested on religious grounds.
The data set covers 65,469 kindergarten students enrolled across the state for the current school year. At the time of reporting, Maryland had confirmed 17 cases of measles, while the nation as a whole was experiencing a 35‑year high with 2,566 confirmed cases.
State response and parental responsibility
Wright emphasized that both local school districts and the Maryland Department of Health will continue to track immunization rates throughout the school year. She underscored the importance of parental vigilance in ensuring children receive recommended vaccines, noting that the state’s immunization schedule will not be altered despite a recent federal executive order that sought to reduce the number of required vaccines.
On August 10, the Trump administration issued an executive order proposing a reduction of the federal vaccine schedule from 18 to 11 doses. Maryland’s Department of Health quickly clarified that the state’s childhood immunization requirements remain unchanged.
What this means for families
Parents in Maryland are encouraged to verify their children’s vaccination status with their local school and to understand the exemption process. While the overall vaccination rate remains strong, the rise in religious exemptions highlights a growing need for community dialogue about public‑health safety and the protection of vulnerable children.
School officials will continue to enforce existing state requirements, and any child lacking the required measles vaccine will be subject to the same protocols that have been in place for years, including possible exclusion from school until documentation is provided.
Looking ahead
Public‑health officials will monitor the situation closely, especially as measles cases rise nationally. The combination of high overall coverage and a modest increase in exemptions underscores the delicate balance between respecting religious liberty and safeguarding public health—a balance that state leaders say will be guided by both constitutional protections and the well‑being of Maryland families.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
