With measles cases rising, some Texas parents are taking a closer look at how protected their school communities are. The good news: you don’t have to guess. Texas school immunization coverage is published using state data, and one tool makes it easy to find your district’s numbers in seconds.
The simplest place to start is The Texas Tribune’s searchable database, which compiles district-by-district vaccination coverage across the state:
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How to look up your district
Open the Tribune link and type in your school district (for example, “Houston ISD,” “Katy ISD,” or “Aldine ISD”). Once you’re on your district’s results page, focus on the items that are most useful for families:
- Overall coverage (the big-picture number for the district)
- Any vaccine-by-vaccine breakdowns the tool displays
- Comparisons (district vs. other districts or statewide figures, if shown)
If the tool includes campus-level reporting, you may be able to drill down beyond the district as well.
Where the information comes from
The database is built from the official school immunization coverage information published by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). In other words, the Tribune isn’t creating new numbers — it’s organizing the state’s reporting in a way that’s easier to search and compare.
What a school “vaccination rate” means (and what it doesn’t)
When you see a district’s “vaccination rate” (often called coverage) in school data, it generally reflects the share of students whose records show they meet immunization requirements based on documentation the school has on file.
That detail matters, because school coverage isn’t only about shots — it can also reflect paperwork and timing. When you’re reading the data, keep a few basics in mind:
- Coverage is based on school documentation, not a doctor-by-doctor audit of every medical record.
- Numbers can be affected by whether records are current, whether students recently transferred, and whether students are still completing multi-dose series.
- Some reports separate categories such as compliant, provisional/in progress, or exempt.
Who sets the rules — and who enforces them?
Texas sets statewide minimum immunization requirements for students attending public and private schools. The state’s requirements are posted on the DSHS site, but the day-to-day work of collecting records and checking compliance happens locally. A simple way to think about it:
- The state sets the baseline requirements.
- Districts and campuses handle tracking and enforcement, including collecting immunization records, contacting families about missing documentation, and following district procedures when students aren’t in compliance.
That’s one reason the process can feel different from district to district, even though the required vaccines are set at the state level.
A local example: Houston ISD
Many districts publish a student health page that explains what families need to provide and where to submit it. Houston ISD’s student health requirements page is a good example of what districts often have: one place for families to find the state requirements and local help getting shots.
On HISD’s page, families are directed to:
- Texas immunization requirement documents (with separate links for Pre‑K and K–12)
- A resource on documenting history of illness for varicella (chickenpox)
- Local immunization resources, including:
- HISD vaccination clinics schedule
- City of Houston Health Centers
- Harris Health resources
- Texas Children’s mobile clinics
If your child attends a different district, look for similar information under “Health Services,” “Student Health,” or “Enrollment.”
If you can’t find your district
If your district isn’t showing up the way you expect in the Tribune tool, try:
- Searching both the abbreviation and the full district name
- Checking the DSHS coverage pages directly
- Visiting your district’s enrollment/health services page to confirm what name it uses publicly
Why this matters
Measles is highly contagious, and vaccination coverage is one of the most important safeguards schools and communities have. Looking up your district’s coverage can help you understand how your area compares — and what questions to ask as you head into the school year.
The Texas Tribune contributed to this article.