How many Washington students have childhood vaccine exemptions? What data shows
The percentage of kindergarten students completing required school vaccinations in Washington has dropped over the last few years, state numbers show.
Meanwhile, the percentage of religious exemptions has grown.
That appears to at least partly mirror some national data, released at the end of July, which showed a year-over-year drop in kindergarten vaccine coverage, plus an increase in all types of exemptions.
Vaccines and vaccination rates continue to be a hot topic around the country, so here’s a closer look at the numbers in Washington:
What immunizations are required for school in Washington?
In the state, students are required to get several vaccines to attend school, including against measles, tetanus, chickenpox, pertussis and more.
The state Department of Health has a chart, with grade breakouts online, starting with preschool.
Families are able to claim exemptions for medical, religious and personal reasons.
What are Washington’s childhood immunization rates?
Statewide, “immunization rates for the 2024-25 school year were similar to those from the prior year,” the state Department of Health said in a July news release.
Specifically, 87.1% of kindergarten students were fully vaccinated that year, compared to 87.6% the year before, according to state data.
The trend was similar when considering all students in grades K-12.
Overall, Washington’s childhood immunization rates “have struggled since the COVID-19 pandemic,” state health officials said.
The state data shows an overall drop since 2020-21. That year, 91.2% of kindergarten students and 92.6% of all students completed required vaccinations.
Which Washington counties have the highest and lowest rates?
In 2024-25, the county with the highest percentage of kindergarten students completing required vaccinations was Garfield County, which includes Pomeroy, at 100%.
The county with the lowest was Pacific County, which includes Long Beach, at 56.1%.
The rankings were different when all grades were factored in.
In that case, Douglas County, which includes East Wenatchee, had the highest percentage for all students, at 96.5%.
Pend Oreille County had the lowest at 68.5%.
In Thurston County, which includes Olympia, 88.9% of kindergarten students and 90.6% of all students had the required vaccinations in 2024-25.
What are the childhood vaccine exemption rates in Washington?
In Washington, 3,578 kindergarten students, or 4.8% of the 74,896 enrolled, had an exemption during the 2024-25 school year. A total of 2,551 kindergarten students, or 3.4% of those enrolled, had a religious exemption. (A smaller number had an exemption for being part of a religious group that doesn’t allow medical treatment by health providers.)
While religious exemptions represented a small bar on the data dashboard for kindergarten students in 2018-19, they have since become the biggest category of exemption, according to state data.
What are some childhood vaccination resources?
Here are some immunization information and resource suggestions from the state health department:
- The state Childhood Vaccine Program
- MyIR Mobile, which partners with the health department
- The health department’s guide for families
This story was originally published August 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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