State and Local Policies on School Vaccine Requirements: Overview and Current Status Authors: Josh Michaud, Clea Bell, and Jennifer Kates Published: Aug 21, 2026

https://www.kff.org/other-health/state-and-local-policies-on-school-vaccine-requirements-overview-and-current-status/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--hUkY4Tp1xQ0TiZIp-Vsou4jBiU1gJ52iyKkoiaAvysDe-U0tu6Qc_2WT3K-mh-yPqJqMoJMwux_vZwp8QyIq4B6gh-w&_hsmi=434352951&utm_content=434352951&utm_source=hs_email States and local governments, rather than the federal government, have authority over school vaccination requirements, and while all 50 states and DC require certain vaccines for school attendance, they vary substantially in how exemptions are granted and administered. As the Trump administration has moved away from longstanding federal childhood vaccine recommendations, an increasing number of states are delinking their vaccine policies from CDC/ACIP guidance, while recent state policy changes have generally made non-medical exemptions easier…