Measles Outbreaks Lead to Significant Increase in School Absenteeism
A recent study by Stanford University has found that a measles outbreak in West Texas led to a substantial surge in school absences, with a 41% increase across all grade levels compared to the same period in the previous two years. The outbreak, which occurred in the Seminole Independent School District, resulted in 141 confirmed measles cases, but the increase in absences was approximately 10 times what would be expected from just those students missing class.
The study, which has not been published or peer-reviewed, highlights the significant impact of measles outbreaks on student learning and the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of the disease. According to the study, the majority of measles cases in Texas and nationally have been among unvaccinated children, with about two-thirds of cases occurring in this demographic.
Understanding the Impact of Measles on Student Learning
Measles is a highly contagious and airborne disease that poses a severe risk to young children. In 2000, the illness was declared eradicated in the U.S. due to the widespread use of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. However, in recent years, more parents have sought exemptions to school requirements for the shots, and most states are below the 95% kindergarten vaccination rate needed to prevent outbreaks.
In the Seminole Independent School District, only 77% of kindergartners were vaccinated against measles in the 2024-2025 school year, according to state health department data. The measles outbreak in the district led to 762 people being sickened across Texas in seven months, with an additional 182 potential measles cases reported in surrounding Gaines County that were excluded from the count due to lack of information.
Absenteeism Extended Far Beyond Confirmed Measles Cases
The study found that the increase in school absences was not limited to students who had confirmed measles cases. Children from preschool to first grade had the most pronounced spike in absences, with a 71% increase from the past two school years. State health officials recommend that people sick with measles or suspected measles isolate at home until four days after they get the telltale rash, and unvaccinated or vulnerable students are excluded from school for up to 21 days after exposure to measles.
Most student absences amid the outbreak were due to local health requirements for children to stay out of school if they may have been exposed to somebody diagnosed with measles, according to Seminole Superintendent Glen Teal. However, it is unclear how many families may have kept children out of school on their own as a precaution, with some experts suggesting that parental concern played a role in the increased absenteeism.
Other States with Outbreaks See Many Kids Miss School
Outbreaks in other states, such as South Carolina, have also produced spikes in school absenteeism. More than 165 people, including 127 students from three schools, were in a 21-day quarantine due to being unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable to getting sick. Some children have been quarantined twice due to new cases, according to Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist for the South Carolina Department of Public Health.
Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent the disruption that measles is causing to people’s education, employment, and other factors of people’s lives in communities, according to Dr. Bell. Missing out on learning time can have long-term implications for a child’s success, and schools have been dealing with learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to elevated rates of chronic absenteeism.
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