Childhood vaccination rates for the 2024-25 school year fell for the fifth year in a row, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC data also show that vaccine exemptions, for the fourth year in a row, have hit a new record high. The percentage of kindergartners with an exemption from one or more vaccine rose from 3.3% in 2023-24 to 3.6% in 2024-25. In the 2020-21 school year, 2.5% of children entering kindergarten had an exemption.

The percentage of kids who didn't get their recommended childhood vaccines rose again last school year, continuing the post-pandemic trend of Americans opting out of vaccinations.