Families across Oregon work hard to keep children healthy, and vaccines are a big part of that. Most parents choose to vaccinate their children, but new data shows that some schools have lower vaccination rates than they used to. Because of this, state health officials are encouraging families to take a moment to check their school’s immunization rates. This can help everyone understand how protected their school community is from diseases like measles.
Parents and caregivers can see vaccination rates for individual schools on Oregon Health Authority’s School Immunization Data dashboard.
Vaccination rates for kindergarteners
In the 2025-2026 school year, more kindergarteners entered school without all their recommended vaccines. About 10 percent of families are choosing not to vaccinate for non-medical reasons. While most families continue to vaccinate, experts are watching the trend closely.
Health leaders say that while most Oregon families are still choosing to protect their kids with vaccines, the downward trend is worrying. Medical providers remind us that diseases like measles and polio used to cause a lot of harm, but vaccines have made them almost disappear. Keeping vaccination rates high helps make sure these diseases don’t come back.
What about K-12 students?
Across all grade levels, most Oregon students are fully vaccinated. But vaccination rates can vary a lot from school to school. Even when a county looks strong overall, a single school with lower vaccination rates may be more at risk during an outbreak.
Right now, many schools have measles vaccination rates below 90 percent, which is below the level needed to stop the disease from spreading. This means some schools could face higher chances of an outbreak if measles appears locally.
How families can stay informed
Checking your child’s school vaccination rate is a quick, helpful way to understand both personal and community risk. It also helps families make informed choices and start conversations with schools and health providers.
By staying connected, informed, and supportive of one another, Oregon communities can continue working together to keep kids safe from preventable diseases.