National aggregator · 2026–27
Kindergarten cutoff dates by state — 2026–27 school year.
The single sortable table you can cite or embed. Children must turn 5 by their state's cutoff to start kindergarten that fall — most states use September 1, but several use earlier or later dates, and six leave it entirely to local districts.
All 50 states + DC, sortable
| State | Abbr. | Cutoff date | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabamasample | AL | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Alabama DOE. | — |
| Alaskasample | AK | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Alaska DEED. | — |
| Arizonasample | AZ | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Arizona DOE. | — |
| Arkansassample | AR | August 1 | Sample data — verify with Arkansas DOE. | — |
| California | CA | September 1 | Children must turn 5 by September 1. | California Department of Education |
| Colorado | CO | varies | Cutoff is set by individual school districts. Most use August or September. | Colorado Dept. of Education |
| Connecticut | CT | January 1 | Children must turn 5 by January 1 of the school year. | Connecticut State Dept. of Education |
| Delawaresample | DE | August 31 | Sample data — verify with Delaware DOE. | — |
| District of Columbiasample | DC | September 30 | Sample data — verify with DCPS. | — |
| Florida | FL | September 1 | Children must turn 5 by September 1. | Florida DOE |
| Georgiasample | GA | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Georgia DOE. | — |
| Hawaiisample | HI | July 31 | Sample data — verify with Hawaii DOE. | — |
| Idahosample | ID | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Idaho SDE. | — |
| Illinoissample | IL | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Illinois SBE. | — |
| Indianasample | IN | August 1 | Sample data — verify with Indiana DOE. | — |
| Iowasample | IA | September 15 | Sample data — verify with Iowa DOE. | — |
| Kansassample | KS | August 31 | Sample data — verify with Kansas SDE. | — |
| Kentuckysample | KY | August 1 | Sample data — verify with Kentucky DOE. | — |
| Louisianasample | LA | September 30 | Sample data — verify with Louisiana DOE. | — |
| Mainesample | ME | October 15 | Sample data — verify with Maine DOE. | — |
| Marylandsample | MD | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Maryland SDE. | — |
| Massachusettssample | MA | varies | Sample data — district-set cutoffs. Verify with MA DESE. | — |
| Michigansample | MI | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Michigan DOE. | — |
| Minnesotasample | MN | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Minnesota DOE. | — |
| Mississippisample | MS | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Mississippi DOE. | — |
| Missouri | MO | August 1 | Children must turn 5 by August 1. | Missouri DESE |
| Montanasample | MT | September 10 | Sample data — verify with Montana OPI. | — |
| Nebraskasample | NE | July 31 | Sample data — verify with Nebraska DOE. | — |
| Nevadasample | NV | September 30 | Sample data — verify with Nevada DOE. | — |
| New Hampshiresample | NH | varies | Sample data — district-set cutoffs. | — |
| New Jerseysample | NJ | varies | Sample data — district-set cutoffs. | — |
| New Mexicosample | NM | September 1 | Sample data — verify with NMPED. | — |
| New York | NY | December 1 | December 1 statewide minimum; districts may set earlier dates. | NYSED |
| North Carolinasample | NC | August 31 | Sample data — verify with NCDPI. | — |
| North Dakotasample | ND | July 31 | Sample data — verify with NDDPI. | — |
| Ohio | OH | August 1 | Children must turn 5 by August 1. | Ohio Department of Education |
| Oklahomasample | OK | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Oklahoma SDE. | — |
| Oregonsample | OR | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Oregon DOE. | — |
| Pennsylvaniasample | PA | varies | Sample data — district-set cutoffs. | — |
| Rhode Islandsample | RI | September 1 | Sample data — verify with RIDE. | — |
| South Carolinasample | SC | September 1 | Sample data — verify with SCDE. | — |
| South Dakotasample | SD | September 1 | Sample data — verify with SD DOE. | — |
| Tennesseesample | TN | August 15 | Sample data — verify with TN DOE. | — |
| Texas | TX | September 1 | Children must be 5 on or before September 1. | Texas Education Agency |
| Utahsample | UT | September 1 | Sample data — verify with Utah USBE. | — |
| Vermontsample | VT | varies | Sample data — district-set cutoffs. | — |
| Virginiasample | VA | September 30 | Sample data — verify with VDOE. | — |
| Washingtonsample | WA | August 31 | Sample data — verify with OSPI. | — |
| West Virginiasample | WV | July 1 | Sample data — verify with WVDE. | — |
| Wisconsinsample | WI | September 1 | Sample data — verify with WI DPI. | — |
| Wyomingsample | WY | September 15 | Sample data — verify with Wyoming DOE. | — |
Methodology + sources
Cutoffs are compiled from Education Commission of the States (ECS) and individual state Departments of Education. Data is reviewed each spring before the back-to-school cycle. States marked sample on this build use plausible data only — verify against the state DOE before citing.
Education Commission of the States — 50-State Comparison: State K-3 Policies.
Per-state DOE policy pages (linked from each state row).