State Compulsory School Attendance Laws

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Here's a list of each U.S. state's minimum compulsory school age and attendance laws for 2013.

State Compulsory
ages		 Compulsory
attendance,
days		 Compulsory attendance, hours
Alabama 6–17 180 n.a.
Alaska 7–16 170 grades K–3: 740 hours; grades 4–12: 900 hours
Arizona 6–161 180 grade K: 356 hours; grades 1–3: 712 hours; grades 4–6: 890 hours; grades 7–8: 1,000 hours; grades 9–12: 720 hours
Arkansas 5–17 178 n.a.
California 6–18 175 grade K: 600 hours; grades 1–3: 840 hours; grades 4–8: 900 hours; grades 9–12: 1,080 hours
Colorado 6–17 160 grade K (half-day): 435 hours; grades K (full-day): 870 hours; grades 1–5: 968 hours; grades 6–12: 1,056 hours
Connecticut 5–18 180 grade K (half-day): 450 hours; grades K (full-day): 900 hours; grades 1–12: 900 hours
Delaware 5–16 n.a. grade K: 1,060 hours; grades 1–11: 1,060 hours; grade 12: 1,032
District of Columbia 5–18 180 n.a.
Florida 6–16 180 grades K–3: 720 hours; grades 4–12 : 900 hours
For schools on double-session or approved experimental calendar: grades K–3: 630 hours; grade 4–12: 810 hours
Georgia 6–16 180 grades K–3: 810 hours; grades 4–5: 900 hours; grades 6–12: 990 hours
Hawaii 6–18 180 grades K–6: 915 hours; grades 7–12: 990 hours
Idaho 7–16 n.a. grade K: 450 hours; grades 1–3: 810 hours; grades 4–8: 900 hours; grades 9–12: 990 hours
Illinois 7–17 176 n.a.
Indiana 7–16 180 n.a.
Iowa 6–16 180 n.a.
Kansas 7–18 grades K–11: 186
grade 12: 181 days		 grade K: 465 hours; grades 1–11: 1116 hours; grade 12: 1,086 hours
Kentucky 6–16 175 1,062 hours
Louisiana 7–18 177 1,062 hours
Maine 7–17 175 n.a.
Maryland 5–16 180 1,080 hours
Massachusetts 6–16 180 grade K: 425 hours; grades 1–5: 900 hours; grade 6–12: 990 hours
Michigan 6–16 170 1,098 hours
Minnesota 7–16 n.a. grade K: 425 hours; grades 1–6: 935 hours; grade 7–12: 1,020 hours
Mississippi 6–17 180 n.a.
Missouri 7–16 5-day week: 174
4-day week: 142		 1,044 hours
Montana 7–16 n.a. grade K (half-day): 360 hours; grades K–3: 720 hours; grades 4–12: 1,080 hours
Nebraska 6–18 n.a. grade K: 400 hours; grades 1–8: 1,032 hours; grade 9–12: 1,080 hours
Nevada 7–18 189 n.a.
New Hampshire 6–18 180 grade K: 450 hours; grades 1–5: 945 hours; grade 6–12: 990 hours
New Jersey 6–16 180 n.a.
New Mexico 5–18 180 grade K (half-day): 450 hours; grades K (full-day): 990 hours; grades 1–6: 990 hours; grades 7–12: 1,080 hours
New York 6–16 190 n.a.
North Carolina 7–16 185 1,025 hours
North Dakota 7–16 175 grades K–8: 951.5 hours; grade 9–12: 1,038 hours
Ohio 6–18 182 910 hours
Oklahoma 5–18 180 grades 1–6: 900 hours; grade 7–12: 1,080 hours
Oregon 7–18 n.a. grade K: 405 hours; grades 1–3: 810 hours; grades 4–8: 900 hours; grades 9–12: 990 hours
Pennsylvania 8–17 180 grade K: 450 hours; grades 1–8: 900 hours; grades 9–12: 990 hours
Rhode Island 6–162 180 n.a.
South Carolina 5–17 180 n.a.
South Dakota 6–183 n.a. grade K: 437.5 hours; grades 1–3 875 hours; grades 4–12: 962.5 hours
Tennessee 6–17 180 n.a.
Texas 6–18 180 n.a.
Utah 6–18 180 grade K: 450 hours; grades 1: 810 hours; grades 2–12: 990 hours
Vermont 6–161 175 n.a.
Virginia 5–18 n.a. 1,080 hours
Washington 8–18 180 grade K: 450 hours; grades 1–6: 1,000 hours; grades 7–12: 1,080 hours
West Virginia 6–17 180 n.a.
Wisconsin 6–18 180 grade K: 437 hours; grades 1–6: 1,050 hours; grades 7–12: 1,137 hours
Wyoming 7–16 175 grade K: 450 hours; grades 1–5: 900 hours; grades 6–12: 1,050 hours
1. Ages 6–16 or 10th grade completion.
2. Age 16 if a student has an alternative learning plan for obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent
3. Age 16 if a child enrolls in a general education development test preparation program that is school based or for which a school contracts, and the child successfully completes the test or reaches the age of 18 years.
Source: Education Commission of the States (ECS), 2013.

Elementary and High School Education
Elementary and High School Education
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