Table 157.

Age range for compulsory school attendance and special education services, and policies on year-round schools and kindergarten programs, by state: Selected years, 1997 through 2006

State

Compulsory attendance

Compulsory special education services, 19971

Year-round schools, 2006

Kindergarten education, 2006

2000

2002

2004

2006

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

11

Alabama

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

2

7 to 16

6 to 21

Yes

X

Alaska

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

2

7 to 16

3 to 22

Yes

Arizona

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

2

3 to 22

—

X

Arkansas

5 to 17

2

5 to 17

2

5 to 17

5 to 17

5 to 21

X

Yes

X

X

California

6 to 18

2

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Birth to 21

X

Yes

X

3

Colorado

—

—

7 to 16

7 to 16

3 to 21

—

X

3

Connecticut

7 to 16

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

2

5 to 18

4

Under 21

5

—

X

X

Delaware

5 to 16

5 to 16

5 to 16

2

5 to 16

3 to 20

Yes

X

X

District of Columbia

—

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

—

(6)

(6)

X

X

Florida

6 to 16

7

6 to 16

7

6 to 16

2,7

6 to 16

7

—

X

Yes

X

X

Georgia

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 21

5

Yes

X

Hawaii

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Under 20

X

Yes

X

Idaho

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

3 to 21

Yes

Illinois

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 17

7 to 17

3 to 21

X

Yes

X

Indiana

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 18

2

3 to 22

Yes

X

Iowa

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 21

X

Yes

X

Kansas

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

2

(8)

—

X

3

X

Kentucky

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

Under 21

Yes

X

Louisiana

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

2

7 to 18

2

3 to 21

Yes

X

X

Maine

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

2

7 to 17

2

5 to 19

9

—

X

Maryland

5 to 16

5 to 16

5 to 16

5 to 16

Under 21

X

—

X

X

Massachusetts

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

2

3 to 21

—

X

Michigan

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 26

X

Yes

Minnesota

7 to 18

2

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

2

Under 22

—

X

3

Mississippi

6 to 17

6 to 17

6 to 16

6 to 16

Birth to 20

—

X

Missouri

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

Under 21

Yes

X

Montana

7 to 16

2

7 to 16

2

7 to 16

2

7 to 16

2

3 to 18

—

X

Nebraska

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

6 to 18

Birth to 21

Yes

X

3

Nevada

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

7 to 17

Under 22

Yes

X

X

New Hampshire

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

3 to 21

—

New Jersey

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

5 to 21

—

X

10

New Mexico

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

2

5 to 18

2

(11)

X

Yes

X

X

New York

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

12

Under 21

—

North Carolina

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

5 to 20

X

Yes

X

North Dakota

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

7 to 16

3 to 20

13

—

Ohio

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Under 22

X

—

X

3

X

Oklahoma

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

3 and up

14

Yes

X

3

X

Oregon

7 to 18

7 to 18

7 to 18

2

7 to 18

3 to 21

Yes

X

Pennsylvania

8 to 17

8 to 17

8 to 17

2

8 to 17

2

6 to 21

X

—

Rhode Island

6 to 16

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

5 to 17

4

3 to 21

—

X

X

X

South Dakota

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

Under 21

X

—

X

3

Tennessee

6 to 17

6 to 17

6 to 17

6 to 17

4

3 to 21

X

Yes

X

X

Texas

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

3 to 21

X

Yes

X

3

Utah

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

3 to 22

Yes

X

Vermont

7 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

2

3 to 21

—

X

3

Virginia

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

5 to 18

2

2 to 21

Yes

X

3

X

Washington

8 to 17

2

8 to 17

2

8 to 16

2

8 to 18

3 to 21

15

Yes

X

West Virginia

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

6 to 16

5 to 21

X

Yes

X

X

Wisconsin

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

6 to 18

Under 21

Yes

X

Wyoming

6 to 16

2

6 to 16

2

7 to 16

2

7 to 16

2

3 to 21

Yes

X

X State has policy. — Not available. 1 Most states have a provision whereby education is provided up to a certain age or completion of secondary school, whichever comes first. 2 Child may be exempted from compulsory attendance if he/she meets state requirements for early withdrawal without meeting conditions for a diploma or equivalency. 3 State requires either half-day or full-day program. 4 Parent/guardian may request a waiver to delay entry to a later age per state law/regulation. 5 Under 21 or until child graduates from high school. 6 State did not participate in the 2006 online survey. 7 Compulsory school age for all Manatee County students who turned 16 on or after October 1, 1999, is 18, except for students who earned a high school diploma prior to reaching their 18th birthday. 8 To be determined by rules and regulations adopted by the state board. 9 Must be 5 before October 1, and not 20 before start of school year. 10 Abbott districts only (31). These are districts covered by a New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that found that the education provided to urban school children was inadequate and unconstitutional. The Court ordered the state to implement comprehensive programs and reforms, including standards-based education supported by parity funding; supplemental programs; preschool education; and school facilities improvements. 11 School-age unless otherwise provided by law. 12 New York City and Buffalo require school attendance until age 17 unless employed. 13 Must not be 21 by September 1. 14 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. 15 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, 2004, and 2006; 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; School District of Manatee County Policy and Procedures, retrieved May 22, 2007, from http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/policy_procedure/pdfs/chapters/Chapter_5.pdf; "State Kindergarten Statutes: State Comparisons," Education Commission of the States, 2007, retrieved June 19, 2007, from http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=14; and supplemental information from several state education websites. (This table was prepared May 2007.)