Vaccination rates decline in Polk County schools
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A bar chart showing the number of religious exemptions granted for Polk County students. Chart: Courtesy of Polk County Health Department
Vaccination rates are sliding in Polk County schools as religious exemptions have climbed over the last five years.
The big picture: The number of Polk County students not fully vaccinated has nearly doubled, rising from 2,937 students in 2019 to 5,571 in 2025, per Polk County Health data.
- At that same time, parents claiming religious exemptions for their children have more than doubled since 2019.
State of play: More families are exempting their kids as parents express skepticism over health care institutions since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Trump administration shows support for debunked, anti-vaccine rhetoric.
What they're saying: Polk County Health Department spokesperson Addie Olson tells Axios the health department is working to educate people who are wary of vaccinations, particularly measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
- MMR Vaccinations for 2-year-old kids have dropped from 89% in 2019 to 85% in 2025.
- "Sometimes vaccines are a victim of their own success because we didn't see measles for many, many years," Olson says.
Flashback: In 2024, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law easing religious exemptions for vaccines.
- Instead of requiring notarizations for religious exemptions, parents can sign a certificate noting their "genuine and sincere religious belief."
- The Trump administration has also advocated for protecting families' right to choose, noting there's a balance between public health and individual freedom.
By the numbers: Communities need around 95% of residents to be fully vaccinated for herd immunity, Olson said.
- Meanwhile, vaccine religious exemptions in Polk County schools more than doubled from 1,551 in 2019 to 3,722 in 2025.
Zoom in: Every public school district saw its share of not-fully-vaccinated students increase from 2019 to 2025, but non-public schools rose fastest, nearly tripling to 15.2%.
- West Des Moines had the largest jump among public districts, roughly doubling to 7.2%.
- Most Polk County public schools landed between 4.7% and 5.8% by 2025, per Polk County Health Department data.
The other side: Republican Iowa lawmakers have advocated for giving parents the right to choose what's best for their kids, noting that it's a private matter between them and their doctors.
What's next: The county is working to promote back-to-school vaccinations.