More than 38,000 Texas students opted out of vaccinations in 2013-14 school year

Here are the counties where Texas students are refusing to get vaccinated for religious or philosophical reasons. Scroll through the slideshow to see the pattern that develops and pay close attention to Central Texas... less Here are the counties where Texas students are refusing to get vaccinated for religious or philosophical reasons. Scroll through the slideshow to see the pattern that develops and pay close attention to Central ... more Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps Image 1 of / 41 Caption Close More than 38,000 Texas students opted out of vaccinations in 2013-14 school year 1 / 41 Back to Gallery

More than 38,000 students enrolled in Texas schools claimed exemptions from required vaccinations for personal or religious reasons during the 2013-14 school year, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

State law requires students to be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, Hepatitis A and B, varicella and meningococcal diseases.

However, students and/or their guardians can opt out of immunization for "reasons of conscience," including religious beliefs. Schools may exclude those students during times of emergency or epidemic declared by the Texas Department of State Health Services commissioner.

Of the more than 5.1 million students who attended Texas schools during the 2013-14 school year, 38,197 claimed conscientious exemptions to immunization, or less than 1 percent.

Scroll through the gallery above or the interactive map below to see where students or their parents are opting out of vaccinations.

Schools in Lampasas County, located in Central Texas, recorded the highest percentage of students who claimed a conscientious exemption to immunization during the 2013-14 school year: 5.02 percent.

Nineteen counties reported no exemptions, according to the agency.

Of the five largest counties in Texas, Travis County recorded the highest percentage of students exempted from vaccination requirements: 1.75 percent.

Tarrant County schools reported 0.78 percent of its students claimed exemptions, while Harris claimed 0.57 percent.

Bexar and Dallas counties tied with 0.45 percent.

The department did not have recent data for Cottle and Loving counties.

The agency surveys roughly 1,300 independent school districts and 800 accredited private schools each year to collect data regarding immunizations.

While a recent measles outbreak at Disneyland has sparked a national debate over immunization law, no outbreaks have been reported in Bexar County, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The Department of State Health Services has reported one measles case in Texas this year.

Only two states, Mississippi and West Virginia, do not allow religious or philosophical exemptions to vaccination, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports