PA charter schools face vaccination gaps as measles outbreak grows
Amid a statewide measles outbreak, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation found that Pennsylvania charter schools are admitting students without required vaccines or exemptions, potentially putting thousands at risk. Nearly two-thirds of the state’s 170 charter schools allowed noncompliant students last year, including hundreds at large networks in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says it lacks authority to enforce the immunization mandate, leaving enforcement to school leaders, while critics warn that gaps threaten herd immunity as cyber charters grew during the pandemic. Advocates call for stronger oversight and on-site vaccination clinics to close gaps and protect students.
