South Dakota Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Decline
State kindergarteners report an 89% MMR rate, and families should confirm their children's records with a doctor.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Allergies
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South Dakota kindergarteners saw their MMR vaccination rates drop to 89% in the 2025-26 school year, a 6.7 percentage point decline since 2019. This decrease coincides with recent measles outbreaks in the state, impacting local public health awareness.
Why it matters
Falling vaccination rates can reduce community immunity, increasing the risk of measles outbreaks among school-aged children. State health trends now show South Dakota is among 18 states with coverage rates below 90%.
Official health surveillance data shows South Dakota kindergarteners reached an 89% MMR vaccination rate during the 2025-26 school year, compared to a 6.7 percentage point drop since 2019-20. It remains unknown why exemption rates rose by 4.2 percentage points over the same period.
The players
United States Department of Health
The federal agency that oversees national public health goals and established the 95% vaccination target for kindergarteners by 2030.
The details
Kindergarteners require two doses of the MMR vaccine to achieve full immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella. When community coverage falls, the risk of measles transmission increases, as evidenced by the 11 cases reported in South Dakota in 2026. Data indicates that 10 of these recent cases occurred in individuals who were unvaccinated against the virus.
Timeline
2019-20 school year: Baseline for kindergarten MMR vaccination rate comparison.
2025: 16 measles cases reported in South Dakota.
2025-26 school year: South Dakota kindergarten MMR rate is 89%.
2026: 11 measles cases reported in South Dakota.
2030: Healthy People 2030 target of 95% vaccination reached.
Health Landscape
South Dakota's current MMR vaccination rate represents a significant deviation from the federal Healthy People 2030 target of 95% coverage. This trend places the state among a growing group of 18 states that have fallen below the 90% threshold for kindergarten immunization.
Parents of kindergarteners should check their child's vaccination records to ensure they have received the required two doses of the MMR vaccine. If you have questions about your child's immunization status or the local exemption process, these are topics worth discussing with your doctor.
The takeaway
Measles remains a preventable illness when high community vaccination thresholds are met. If you are concerned about exposure, ask your physician about checking your immunity status through a blood test or reviewing your history of documented vaccination.
Further reading
Learn more about local immunization trends in our Allergies section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by South Dakota News Watch.
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