Michigan’s public‑health officials reported that 7.1% of school‑aged children held vaccine exemption waivers in the 2025‑2026 school year, up from 6.2% in 2024. The figure marks the highest statewide rate in a decade and continues a five‑year trend of rising waivers that began after the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Statewide numbers and local patterns
Nearly 25,000 students out of more than 345,000 with complete immunization records were granted waivers last year. Kindergarten students led the rise, with a 7.7% waiver rate compared with 6.8% in 2024. Seventh‑grade waivers stood at 7.2%, and new‑resident students saw a 6.6% exemption rate.
Urban and suburban districts continue to post the lowest waiver rates. Ann Arbor Public Schools, Portage Public Schools, East Grand Rapids Public Schools and Novi Community School District all reported vaccination completion rates near the 95% benchmark for herd immunity. By contrast, rural districts such as Lapeer Community Schools, Howell Public Schools and North Branch Area Schools recorded kindergarten waiver rates in the double digits.
Online education providers also feature prominently. Oxford Virtual Academy reported that 93 of its 205 kindergarten students received waivers, the highest count in the state.
Public‑health perspective
“Schools are locations where a lot of children are together,” said Abram Wagner, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. “It can be very easy to spread vaccine‑preventable diseases there, especially for schools with high waiver rates.” Wagner warned that while stricter waiver rules can have short‑term effects, families often learn how to navigate loopholes over time.
Wagner also noted a cultural shift, pointing to 2020 as an “inflection point” when attitudes began to diverge from established immunization guidance. He attributed part of the increase to political and cultural forces that have amplified skepticism toward federal health recommendations.
State response and federal backdrop
Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) continues to require parents to attend a vaccine‑education session with local health departments before receiving a non‑medical exemption, a rule adopted in 2015 that kept exemption rates below 4% for several years.
Last month President Donald Trump signed an executive order reducing the recommended childhood vaccine schedule from 17 to 11 shots. The order, praised by many parents who feel overwhelmed by the existing schedule, was condemned by senior officials of the World Health Organization. Michigan’s chief medical executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule, emphasizing the need for clarity amid shifting federal guidance.
Community action
In response to the rising waiver rates, the Michigan for Vaccines coalition launched a statewide advocacy effort this summer, uniting public‑health workers, physicians and pro‑vaccine advocates. Coalition director Megan Petzko‑Sweet said, “We’re linking arms to amplify what our state frankly needs—pro‑vaccine policy.”
Veronica McNally, president of the Franny Strong Foundation, shared a personal reminder of the stakes: after losing her 12‑week‑old daughter to whooping cough in 2012, she now works to educate parents about the real dangers of foregoing immunizations.
Looking ahead
While Michigan’s overall public‑school immunization rate sits at 90% and private schools at 80.9%, the state remains above the national average, where CDC data show kindergarten exemption rates rising to 4.2% for the 2025‑2026 school year. Health officials hope that continued education, transparent communication and parental engagement will help reverse the upward trend in waivers.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
