South Dakota Kindergarten Measles Vaccination Rate Falls Below 90%
The measles vaccination rate for kindergarteners in South Dakota has decreased by 6.7 percentage points since the 2019-20 school year, falling below the national target of 95% and making it one of 18 states with rates below 90%.
Sioux Falls, SD, October 15, 2026 —
South Dakota’s measles vaccination rate among kindergarteners has fallen by 6.7 percentage points since the 2019-20 school year, placing the state below the national target of 95%, according to the information provided.
The rate is also below 90%. South Dakota is one of 18 states with kindergarten measles vaccination rates under that level. The figures describe a decline over time and the state’s position relative to two benchmarks, but do not provide the exact current rate.
The information provided does not identify the school year covered by the latest rate, the source of the figures or the number of kindergarteners included. It also does not explain what factors may have contributed to the decline. No cause can be established from the figures alone.
The 95% figure is identified as the national target. South Dakota’s rate falling below that target indicates a gap between the reported rate and the stated benchmark. The separate comparison with the 90% threshold places the state among 18 states below that mark, though no state-by-state rates or ranking are included.
Without a specified reporting period or exact rate, the information does not establish how the figure may have changed since the latest measurement. It reports a 6.7-percentage-point decrease since 2019-20, but provides no additional year-by-year data or details about vaccination requirements, exemptions or school-level coverage.
Story summarized from the original created by Michael Klinski on www.sdnewswatch.org, see more information here.
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