Tarrant County school districts saw a significant increase in students filing vaccine exemptions over the past seven years. A new Texas law makes it easier for families to seek these exemptions from state vaccination mandates. In the 2024-25 school year, 14 out of 20 districts had a vaccine exemption rate of 3% or higher, according to data from the Texas Health and Human Services agency.
The increase in unvaccinated students poses a risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks. Rekha Lakshmanan, executive director of the Houston-based Immunization Partnership, warns that more kids being not fully protected increases the risk of an outbreak.
While parents have a right to choose, vaccinations are incredibly important for herd immunity and protecting individuals from preventable diseases. The new law allows families to download the exemption form directly from the state agency’s website, making it easier to seek exemptions. However, this increase in exemptions also raises concerns about access to medical care and the potential for outbreaks.
According to Lakshmanan, suburban areas with high vaccine exemption rates are particularly concerning. The Immunization Partnership has tracked a steady increase in exemption rates in Texas over the last 20 years. With the new law, an increase in unvaccinated students is likely to continue, resulting in a “big spike” in the 2025-26 school year data.
Health directors from Tarrant County school districts are concerned about the percentage of unvaccinated students increasing past the point of herd immunity. They stress the importance of vaccination and the need for parents to have access to medical care.
While there is no single line for exemptions, health officials emphasize that vaccinations are remarkably successful and incredibly safe. The consequences of low vaccination rates can be dire, as seen in last year’s measles outbreak in Gaines County, where 762 Texans contracted the disease and two children died.
Source: https://fortworthreport.org/2025/12/09/what-fewer-vaccinated-students-could-mean-for-tarrant-county-as-exemptions-rise