Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Free and Compulsory School Age Requirements

  • 05/05/15

Denver, Colo. — More and more, state policymakers are exploring options to increase the age range that a student is required to attend school -- with goals of boosting high school graduation rates and creating a better prepared workforce that can meet the needs of modern employers.

States not only are extending the upper limit for mandatory school age, many also are pushing for earlier access to free education for the youngest students. A new 50-state review from Education Commission of the States, Free and compulsory school age requirements, addresses three main components:

  • At what age is a district required to provide free public education to students, and at what age is it no longer required?
  • At what age does compulsory school attendance begin and end?
  • How many years total is a student required to attend school?

"Expanding the age range in which students are permitted and required to attend school receives significant attention," said Stephanie Aragon, a researcher for Education Commission of the States. "This 50-state review provides a snapshot of where states have landed on school age requirements."

Some highlights from the report:

  • To date, 24 states and the District of Columbia require students to attend school until they turn 18.
  • In Massachusetts, children as young as 3 years old are considered to be of school age.
  • Students are required to remain in school for as few as nine years and as many as 13 years, depending on the state.

For questions, contact Education Commission of the States Director of Communications Amy Skinner at [email protected] or (303) 299. 3609.

Featured

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.