Measles Outbreak Causes School Absences in Texas

When a measles outbreak hit West Texas earlier this year, school absences surged to levels far beyond the number of children who likely became sick. According to a Stanford University study, absences in the Seminole Independent School District climbed 41% across all grade levels compared to the same period in the previous two years.

The preliminary study, which has not been published or undergone formal peer review, highlights the toll on student learning from the spread of measles, a highly contagious disease that has increased in communities around the U.S. with low vaccination rates.

In Texas, about two-thirds of measles cases have been among unvaccinated children. Public health officials responded by excluding unvaccinated students from schools. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 77% of kindergartners in the Seminole Independent School District were vaccinated against measles.

The outbreak in Texas resulted in the worst measles year in over three decades, sickening 762 people across the state in seven months. Additionally, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 182 potential measles cases in surrounding Gaines County that were excluded from official counts due to 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 ten times what would be expected from just those students missing class.

Children from preschool to first grade experienced the most pronounced spike in absences, with a 71% increase from the last two school years. School Superintendent Glen Teal stated that most student absences were due to local health requirements for students to stay home if they may have been exposed to someone diagnosed with measles.

There is also a significant concern that parental anxiety contributed to absenteeism, as parents may have been hesitant to send their children to school amid reports of an outbreak. Other states experiencing outbreaks, such as South Carolina, have also reported spikes in school absenteeism.

With vaccination being the best way to prevent disruption from measles, the ongoing challenges of maintaining adequate vaccination coverage are evident, especially in light of the learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frequent absenteeism can strain educators' abilities to effectively teach, as most teachers are not trained to handle instructional pacing when a large number of students are absent.