Table 153.

Age range for compulsory school attendance, special education services, year-round schools, and kindergarten programs, by state: 1997, 2000, 2002, and 2004

State

Compulsory attendance

Compulsory special education services, 19971

Year-round schools, 2004

Kindergarten education, 2004

2000

2002

2004

Has policy on year-round schools

Has districts with year-round schools

School districts required to offer

Attendance required

Half day

Full day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Alabama

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

2

6 to 21

X

X

X

Alaska

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

2

3 to 22

—

—

—

—

Arizona

6 to 16

3

6 to 16

3

6 to 16

3

3 to 22

—

X

Arkansas

5 to 17

4

5 to 17

4

5 to 17

5 to 21

X

X

X

X

California

6 to 18

5

6 to 18

6 to 18

Birth to 21

X

X

X

6

Colorado

—

—

7 to 16

3 to 21

X

—

—

—

Connecticut

7 to 16

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

2

Under 21

7

—

X

Delaware

5 to 16

5 to 16

5 to 16

8

3 to 20

X

X

X

District of Columbia

—

5 to 18

5 to 18

—

—

Florida

6 to 16

9

6 to 16

9

6 to 16

8

—

X

X

X

Georgia

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 21

7

X

X

Hawaii

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Under 20

X

—

Idaho

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

3 to 21

X

Illinois

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 17

3 to 21

X

X

X

Indiana

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

3 to 22

X

X

Iowa

6 to 16

10

6 to 16

10

6 to 16

Under 21

X

X

X

6

Kansas

7 to 18

11

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

2

(12)

—

X

Kentucky

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

8

Under 21

X

X

Louisiana

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

8

3 to 21

X

X

Maine

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

13

5 to 19

14

X

X

X

Maryland

5 to 16

5 to 16

5 to 16

Under 21

X

X

X

Massachusetts

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

3 to 21

—

X

6

Michigan

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 26

X

X

X

Minnesota

7 to 18

2

7 to 16

7 to 16

Under 22

X

X

X

Mississippi

6 to 17

6 to 17

6 to 16

Birth to 20

—

X

Missouri

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

Under 21

X

X

Montana

7 to 16

15

7 to 16

15

7 to 16

15

3 to 18

—

X

6

Nebraska

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

Birth to 21

X

X

Nevada

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

Under 22

X

X

—

—

—

New Hampshire

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

3 to 21

—

X

6

New Jersey

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

5 to 21

X

X

X

New Mexico

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

16

(17)

X

X

X

18

X

18

New York

6 to 16

19

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 21

—

—

X

North Carolina

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

5 to 20

X

X

—

—

—

North Dakota

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

3 to 20

20

—

X

6

X

Ohio

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Under 22

—

X

6

X

Oklahoma

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

3 and up

21

X

X

X

6

Oregon

7 to 18

7 to 18

7 to 18

2

3 to 21

X

X

6

Pennsylvania

8 to 17

8 to 17

8 to 17

2

6 to 21

X

X

—

—

X

Rhode Island

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

3 to 21

—

X

X

South Carolina

5 to 16

5 to 16

5 to 16

3 to 21

—

X

X

South Dakota

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 21

—

X

6

Tennessee

6 to 17

6 to 17

6 to 17

3 to 21

X

X

X

X

Texas

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

3 to 21

X

X

X

6

Utah

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

3 to 22

X

X

Vermont

7 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

3 to 21

—

X

Virginia

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

2 to 21

X

X

6

Washington

8 to 17

2

8 to 17

8

8 to 16

8

3 to 21

22

X

X

West Virginia

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

5 to 21

X

X

X

X

Wisconsin

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Under 21

X

X

Wyoming

6 to 16

3

6 to 16

3

7 to 16

3

3 to 21

X

X

X State has program. —Not available. 1 Most states have provision whereby education is provided up to a certain age or comple­tion of secondary school, whichever comes first. 2 Eligible for waiver. 3 Until age 16 or 10th-grade completion. 4 Must have turned 17 by October 1. 5 At least 16 and have graduated high school or passed California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) and obtained parental permission. 6 State requires either half-day or full-day program. 7 Under 21 or until child graduates from high school. 8 May exit only with guardian consent. 9 Compulsory school age for all Manatee County students who turned 16 on or after Octo­ber 1, 1999, is 18, unless they earned high school diploma prior to reaching 18th birthday. 10 Must have turned 16 by September 15. 11 Eligible for waiver at 16. 12 To be determined by rules and regulations adopted by the state board. 13 May exit at 15 with guardian consent, if student meets other criteria. 14 Must be 5 before October 1, and not 20 before start of school year. 15 Age 16 and completion of eighth grade. 16 May exit before 18 if exemptions are met. 17 School-age unless otherwise provided by law. 18 State requires both half-day and full-day program. 19 Age 16 and completion of school year. 20 Must not be 21 by September 1. 21 Children from birth through age 2 are eligible for additional services. Eligibility for special education services ceases upon completion of a secondary education program; no age limit. 22 Student may complete school year if 21st birthday occurs while attending school. NOTE: The Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) Amendments of 1986 make it mandatory for all states receiving EHA funds to serve all 3- to 18-year-old disabled children. SOURCE: Council of Chief State School Officers, Key State Education Policies on PK–12 Edu­cation, 2000, 2002, and 2004; Education Commission of the States, Clearinghouse Notes, August 1997; California Department of Education, Safe Schools and Violence Prevention Office, School Attendance Review Boards, Feb. 2001; and School District of Manatee County Policy and Procedure Manual, retrieved May 4, 2005, from http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/manatee/policy_procedure/table_noframes.html. (This table was prepared May 2006.)