Measles outbreak: How many students missed school due to fear, not just illness?
TOI GLOBAL DESK | Dec 17, 2025, 20:25 IST
Hundreds are quarantined in South Carolina as measles spreads in 2 US outbreaks
( Image credit : AP )
In West Texas, a measles outbreak led to a significant spike in school absences, overshadowing the number of confirmed cases. As a precautionary measure, students were kept home, causing interruptions in their learning experiences. This incident serves as a stark reminder of how insufficient vaccination coverage can ripple through communities.
<p>FILE - Anna Hicks prepares a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at the Andrews County Health Department, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice, File)</p>
A measles outbreak in West Texas this year led to school absences that were significantly higher than the number of confirmed cases, as students were excluded or kept home by families to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease. A study by Stanford University found that absences in Seminole Independent School District surged by 41% across all grade levels compared to the two previous years. This preliminary study highlights the impact of measles on student learning, particularly in communities with low vaccination rates, where about two-thirds of cases are among unvaccinated children. Public health officials often respond to measles spread by excluding unvaccinated students from schools.
“The costs of that absenteeism are just not among the sick kids, but all the kids who are kept out of school as a precaution,” said Thomas Dee, a Stanford economist and education professor who co-authored the study.
Measles is an airborne illness that poses severe risks to young children. It was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 due to widespread vaccination. However, in recent years, more parents have sought exemptions from school vaccination requirements. Consequently, most states are now below the 95% kindergarten vaccination rate that experts deem necessary to prevent outbreaks.
In Seminole Independent School District, only 77% of kindergartners were vaccinated against measles for the 2024-2025 school year, according to state health department data. The measles surge in the area contributed to the United States experiencing its worst measles year in over three decades, with 762 people falling ill across Texas in seven months.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 182 potential measles cases in March 2025 among children in surrounding Gaines County. These cases were excluded from the official count due to a lack of information.
The study estimated that 141 students in the Seminole district had confirmed measles cases. However, the increase in school absences was approximately 10 times what would be expected solely from these students missing class.
State health officials recommend that individuals with measles or suspected measles isolate at home for four days after the appearance of the characteristic rash. State guidance also mandates that unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable students be excluded from school for up to 21 days after exposure to measles.
Children from preschool to first grade experienced the most significant spike in absences, with a 71% increase compared to the previous two school years, according to the study.
Seminole Superintendent Glen Teal stated that most student absences during the outbreak were due to local health requirements for children to stay home if they may have been exposed to someone diagnosed with measles.
It remains unclear how many families voluntarily kept their children out of school as a precautionary measure, beyond those directed to stay home by health officials. Jacob Kirksey, an education policy professor at Texas Tech University who reviewed the study, suggested that parental concern likely played a role.
“If you're hearing on the news or you're seeing that there is just an illness outbreak more broadly, the parents are going to be predispositioned to just be more hesitant to send their kids to school,” Kirksey said.
Outbreaks in other states, such as South Carolina, have also resulted in significant increases in school absenteeism. In South Carolina, as of Tuesday, over 165 people, including 127 students from three schools, were in a 21-day quarantine because they were unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable to contracting the illness. Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist for the South Carolina Department of Public Health, noted that some children have been quarantined twice due to new cases.
“Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent the disruption that measles is causing to people’s education, to employment and other factors of people’s lives in our communities,” Bell said.
Missing instructional time can have long-term consequences for a child's academic success. Schools are already grappling with learning loss stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, which also contributed to elevated rates of chronic absenteeism.
Increased absenteeism places additional strain on teachers' ability to educate their students. Kirksey pointed out that most educators are not trained to manage instructional pacing when a substantial portion of their students are absent.
“The costs of that absenteeism are just not among the sick kids, but all the kids who are kept out of school as a precaution,” said Thomas Dee, a Stanford economist and education professor who co-authored the study.
Measles is an airborne illness that poses severe risks to young children. It was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 due to widespread vaccination. However, in recent years, more parents have sought exemptions from school vaccination requirements. Consequently, most states are now below the 95% kindergarten vaccination rate that experts deem necessary to prevent outbreaks.
In Seminole Independent School District, only 77% of kindergartners were vaccinated against measles for the 2024-2025 school year, according to state health department data. The measles surge in the area contributed to the United States experiencing its worst measles year in over three decades, with 762 people falling ill across Texas in seven months.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 182 potential measles cases in March 2025 among children in surrounding Gaines County. These cases were excluded from the official count due to a lack of information.
The study estimated that 141 students in the Seminole district had confirmed measles cases. However, the increase in school absences was approximately 10 times what would be expected solely from these students missing class.
State health officials recommend that individuals with measles or suspected measles isolate at home for four days after the appearance of the characteristic rash. State guidance also mandates that unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable students be excluded from school for up to 21 days after exposure to measles.
Children from preschool to first grade experienced the most significant spike in absences, with a 71% increase compared to the previous two school years, according to the study.
Seminole Superintendent Glen Teal stated that most student absences during the outbreak were due to local health requirements for children to stay home if they may have been exposed to someone diagnosed with measles.
It remains unclear how many families voluntarily kept their children out of school as a precautionary measure, beyond those directed to stay home by health officials. Jacob Kirksey, an education policy professor at Texas Tech University who reviewed the study, suggested that parental concern likely played a role.
“If you're hearing on the news or you're seeing that there is just an illness outbreak more broadly, the parents are going to be predispositioned to just be more hesitant to send their kids to school,” Kirksey said.
Outbreaks in other states, such as South Carolina, have also resulted in significant increases in school absenteeism. In South Carolina, as of Tuesday, over 165 people, including 127 students from three schools, were in a 21-day quarantine because they were unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable to contracting the illness. Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist for the South Carolina Department of Public Health, noted that some children have been quarantined twice due to new cases.
“Vaccination continues to be the best way to prevent the disruption that measles is causing to people’s education, to employment and other factors of people’s lives in our communities,” Bell said.
Missing instructional time can have long-term consequences for a child's academic success. Schools are already grappling with learning loss stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, which also contributed to elevated rates of chronic absenteeism.
Increased absenteeism places additional strain on teachers' ability to educate their students. Kirksey pointed out that most educators are not trained to manage instructional pacing when a substantial portion of their students are absent.