School Age Calculator: What Age Is Kindergarten?

What Age Is Kindergarten?

So, what age is kindergarten? In the United States, kindergarten is for children who are 5 years old at the start of the school year, and most finish it at age 6. The exact rule is set by each state, and sometimes each school district: a child must turn 5 on or before a cut-off date to start kindergarten that year.

That is why the answer to “how old do you have to be for kindergarten?” depends on the birthday, and two children with the same kindergarten age can start a year apart. A child born on 30 August turns 5 just before a 1 September cut-off and starts this year; a child born on 2 September misses it and starts the following year, nearly 6.

Kindergarten Cut-Off Dates

September 1 is the most common kindergarten cut-off date, but states use dates ranging from late summer to as late as December or January. Some let school districts set their own. Before you plan, check the kindergarten entrance age on your state education department or school district website, then enter that date in the calculator above.

Many districts also offer transitional kindergarten or pre-K for children who just miss the cut-off. California, for example, has expanded transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds.

How the School Age Calculator Works

1. It finds the first school year in which your child is 5 on the cut-off date. That is the kindergarten start year.
2. It counts forward one grade per school year to show this year’s expected grade and the high school graduation year.
3. It works out the exact age on the cut-off date and on 1 September, using the same method as our chronological age calculator.

Kindergarten Age Examples (1 September Cut-Off)

The last two children are born just three days apart but start school a year apart. That is the cut-off date at work, and why it is worth checking the exact kindergarten age rule in your area. If your district uses a later cut-off, such as 1 October or 1 December, change the month in the calculator and the start year may move forward by a year.

School Age by Grade

Youngest or Oldest in the Class?

A child born just before the cut-off date will be one of the youngest in the class; one born just after will be one of the oldest the next year. Research has found that the youngest children in a grade, on average, score slightly lower in the early years, though the gap tends to shrink as they get older. The calculator shows where your child falls.

Some parents choose to delay kindergarten by a year, often called “redshirting”, especially for summer birthdays. It is a personal decision, and many schools offer readiness screenings that look at basic skills, language and social-emotional development to help.

Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Meeting the kindergarten age requirement does not always mean a child is ready. Teachers and pediatricians often look at a mix of skills rather than academic knowledge alone:

• Social and emotional: separating from parents, taking turns, following simple rules.
• Language: saying what they need, listening to a short story, following two-step directions.
• Basic skills: holding a crayon, recognizing some letters and numbers, using the toilet independently.

If you are unsure, ask your school district about a readiness screening. Many use tools such as the Brigance screens, which start by finding the child’s exact age with a Brigance age calculator.

Is Kindergarten Required?

Not in every state. The compulsory school age, the age by which a child must be enrolled, ranges from about 5 to 8 depending on the state. Some states require full-day kindergarten to be offered, while others offer half day only. Check your state’s rules if you are deciding whether to start kindergarten or go straight to first grade.

Related Child Age Tools

If you are still asking what age is kindergarten in your area, enter your district’s cut-off in the school age calculator above. For younger children, use the age in months calculator. If your child was born early, see the corrected age calculator. Schools also use exact age for screening and testing; see our test age ranges.

School Age Calculator FAQs