Data shows over past four years, number of unvaccinated students on rise in Round Rock, Pflugerville and Hutto ISDs

In the past five years, Texas has seen the number of students claiming conscientious, or non-medical exemptions, from vaccines grow by roughly 47 percent, or 16,284 students, according to a Department of State Health Services report.

This trend extends to the area north of Austin as well, with Round Rock, Pflugerville and Hutto ISDs all seeing increases in this population over the past four academic years.

Conscientious exemptions can be claimed for any reason that is not related to medical records. A student’s parent or guardian must request an affidavit and submit it to the child’s school. If approved, the exemption is valid for two years.

Medical exemptions, in comparison, are valid for students whose health would be negatively impacted by the vaccine or have family members whose health would be negatively impacted by the student being vaccinated. For example, if a parent is undergoing chemotherapy, having a child exposed to a communicable disease would be detrimental to the parent. These exemptions are valid for one year.

In general, medical exemptions are claimed less than conscientious ones, according to RRISD Director of Health Services Sandy Headley. In RRISD, roughly 2.12 percent of students claim a conscientious exemption, and about 0.18 percent of students claim a medical one.

Texas is one of 16 states that allow medical, religious and philosophical exemptions from vaccines. The majority of states allow medical and religious exemptions, and Mississippi, California and West Virginia are the only states that only allow medical ones.

Headley said should a communicable disease outbreak occur at one of the schools, RRISD officials would call parents and ask unvaccinated students to stay home for their safety, per state guidelines.

The state allows districts and schools to exclude students who are unvaccinated for conscientious reasons from school in times of emergency or epidemic as declared by the Texas Commissioner of Health.

This would include outbreaks of diseases such as the mumps.