The Education Commission of the States Released Guide on Age Requirements for Free Compulsory Education

Denver, Colo. – The Education Commission of the States’ oft-cited resource, Age Requirements for Free and Compulsory Education, just got an update! The number of years that children are given a free education and number of years they are required to be in school varies greatly across the US, and states are increasingly considering changes to these requirements. See this updated 50-State Review for a side-by-side comparison of free and compulsory ages, state statutes, exceptions and policy considerations.

Key Takeaway

Students are required to attend school for as few as nine years and up to 13 years, depending on the state. To read the entire report, visit www.ecs.org/age-requirements-for-free-and-compulsory-education.

Featured

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.