RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (ACME NEWS) — Kindergarten vaccination rates in Randolph County continue to exceed statewide averages, even as North Carolina sees a sharp rise in religious vaccine exemptions, particularly among private school students, according to data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Since 2020, the statewide percentage of kindergarteners claiming a religious exemption has more than doubled, and exemption rates in private schools have climbed even faster. Despite those trends, Randolph County continues to report strong compliance.
Randolph County Outperforms State Averages
In 2024, 94.97% of kindergarteners in Randolph County were up to date on required vaccines, a rate 1.36 percentage points higher than the statewide average of 93.61%. The county’s religious exemption rate was less than 1%, well below the statewide average of 3.03%.
Across the four years of available data, from 2020 to 2024, Randolph County’s average up-to-date rate was 95.83%. That is higher than the statewide four-year average of 94.5%.
Countywide exemption rates remain low, but a single small private school significantly skews the local trend.
One such example is Asheboro Hybrid Academy, a small private Christian school in Farmer reported some of the highest religious exemption percentages in North Carolina.
- In 2023, the school ranked fifth statewide, with around 53% of its 30 kindergarten students claiming a religious exemption.
- In 2022, it ranked sixth statewide, with around 40% of 27 kindergarteners claiming a religious exemption.
Because the school’s enrollment is small, even a few exemptions can significantly increase its percentages — a limitation noted in the state’s data methodology.
Randolph County Public Health monitors reportable communicable diseases across all public, private and charter schools, according to Public Health Director Tara Aker. High exemption rates do not automatically prompt an investigation, she said, but they do result in additional communication and guidance for school staff. The department also shares information about vaccination events and state compliance requirements.
“Our concern is that a low vaccination rate could increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks due to a lack of herd immunity,” Aker said.
Religious Exemptions More Than Doubled Since 2020
Across North Carolina, religious vaccine exemptions have risen sharply in recent years. In 2020, 1.4% of kindergarteners claimed a religious exemption; by 2024, that figure had grown to 3%. Private schools saw the steepest increase, climbing from 4.17% to 10.23% over the same period.
Even so, statewide up-to-date vaccination rates have held steady, hovering between 92% and 94% since 2020. The percentage of students who entered school without required vaccines has increased gradually year-over-year, reflecting a broader shift in exemption patterns.
New data for the 2025 school year is expected next July. Aker said she remains confident in Randolph County’s strong performance.
“I’m optimistic that Randolph County’s compliance rates will remain strong in 2025,” she said.
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