Number of Days in School Year by State 2025

State	Minimum Required Days per School Year↓	Minimum Required Hours or Minutes per School Year	State Code Pertaining to Required Days in School Year	Additional School Year Details
Idaho	Varies by district	Kindergarten: 450 hours Grades 1-3: 810 hours Grades 4-8: 900 hours Grades 9-11: 990 hours Grade 12: 979 hours	Idaho Code Ann. § 33-512	Up to 22 hours for staff development activities. Transportation to and from school, passing time between classes, recess and lunch periods are not included. School assemblies, testing, and other instructionally related activities directly involving students may be included as instructional hours.
Montana	Varies by district	Half-day Kindergarten: 360 hours Full-day K-3: 720 hours Grades 4-12: 1,080 hours	Mont. Code Ann. § 20-1-301 Mont. Code Ann. § 20-1-302 Mont. Code Ann. § 20-1-304	Pupil-instruction-related days and in-service training may not be included as part of the required minimum aggregate hours. Graduating seniors are only required to attend 1,050 hours.
Arkansas	Set by Standards for Accreditation	1,068 hours	Ark. Code Ann. § 6-10-108 Ark. Code Ann. § 6-10-106
South Dakota	Set by local school board	Kindergarten: 437.5 hours Grades 1-5: 875 hours Grades 6-12: 962.5 hours	S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-1 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-2 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-4 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-4.1	Excludes intermissions for grades 1-12, such as recess, lunch or passing time between classes. School boards may release seniors prior to the end of the school year. May include 16.5 hours for teacher-parent conference, and 5.5 of those hours may be used for teacher training.
Ohio	Set by local board of education	Kindergarten: 450 hours Full-day K-6: 910 hours Grades 7-12: 1,001 hours	Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.48	Up to 2 days equivalent may be used for parent-teacher conferences and reporting, and up to 2 days equivalent may be used for professional development. Excludes lunch and breakfast periods and extracurricular activities. Includes morning and afternoon recess periods of not more than 15 minutes for pupils in kindergarten through 6th grade.
Delaware	Not specified	Grades K-11: 1,060 hours Grade 12: 1,032 hours	Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 1049	The number of hours in a school day for grades K-12 shall be at least 3.5 hours exclusive of lunch.
Nebraska	Not specified	Kindergarten: 400 hours Grades 1-8: 1,032 hours Grades 9-12: 1,080	Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-211 Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-212	For all grades except pre-kindergarten, exclude lunchtime for instructional time. Recess and passing time may be counted, if so indicated in local Board policy.
New Mexico	Not specified	Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours Full-day K-6: 990 hours Grades 7-12: 1,080 hours	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-2-8.1	Excludes lunch. Some hours may be used for home visits or for parent-teacher conferences, depending on grade level.
North Dakota	Not specified	Half-day Kindergarten: 481.25 hours Grades K-5: 962.5 hours Grades 6-12: 1,050 hours	N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-22-02 N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-06-04	For a kindergarten instructional calendar equal to at least fifty percent of the full-time instructional days which would result in 481.25 hours. No more than 2 days may be scheduled for parent-teacher conferences. At least 3 days of professional development must be scheduled, not including meals or breaks.
Oregon	Not specified	Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours Grades K-8: 900 hours Grades 9-11: 990 hours Grade 12: 966 hours	Or. Admin. R. 581-022-2320	Recess may count towards instructional time for a certain number of hours through grade 3. 30 hours may be used for parent teacher conferences.
Texas	Not specified	75,600 minutes	Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 25.081	Includes time for instruction, intermission and recess.
Wisconsin	Not specified	Kindergarten: 437 hours Grades 1-6: 1,050 hours Grades 7-12: 1,137 hours	Wis. Stat. Ann. § 121.02	Includes recess and passage time between classes but does not include the lunch period.
Missouri	No minimum	Kindergarten: 522 hours Other Grades: 1,044 hours	Mo. Ann. Stat. § 171.031 Mo. Ann. Stat. § 160.041 Mo. Ann. Stat. § 163.021
Kansas	186 days (Grades 1-11) 181 days (Grade 12)	Kindergarten: 465 hours Grades 1-11: 1,116 hours Grade 12: 1,086 hours	Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-3115 School Year Requirement	Passing periods, organized recesses, activity periods, time between opening and closing bells can be considered part of a school day. Lunch and passing periods are not considered to be a part of the school day.
Illinois	185 days	Not specified in state policy	105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-19	Designed to ensure 176 days of student attendance.
North Carolina	185 days	1,025 hours	N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-84.2	May be measured in days or hours.
Washington	180 half-days (Kindergarten) 180 days (Grades 1-12)	Kindergarten: 450 hours Grades 1-8: 1,000 hours Grades 9-12: 1,080 hours	Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.150.220
Alabama	180 days	1,080 hours	Ala. Code § 16-13-231	May be measured in days or hours. In extreme circumstances involving natural occurrences, health-related occurrences, or other extenuating circumstances that result in the cancellation of an instructional day, a local board of education may submit a plan for the approval of the State Superintendent of Education to replace cancelled instructional days by adjusting the school calendar to extend the hours of actual teaching time on specified instructional days.
Alaska	180 days	Grades K-3: 740 hours Grades 4-12: 900 hours	Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.03.030	May be measured in days or hours. A day of in-service training of teachers can substitute for a day in session, up to a maximum of 10 days.
Arizona	180 days	Grades 1-3: 712 hours Grades 4-8: 890 hours Grades 9-12: 720 hours	Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-901 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-341.01	May be measured in days or hours. Instructional hour requirement includes lunch.
California	180 days	Kindergarten: 36,000 minutes Grades 1-3: 50,400 minutes Grades 4-8: 54,000 minutes Grades 9-12: 64,800 minutes	Cal. Educ. Code § 46200 Cal. Educ. Code § 46201 LCFF & Instructional Time FAQs	For comparison, the instructional minutes are equivalent to: Kindergarten: 600 hours Grades 1-3: 840 hours Grades 4-8: 900 hours Grades 9-12: 1,080 hours Select districts are required to attend 175 days rather than 180.
Connecticut	180 days	Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours Full-day K-12: 900 hours	Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-16
District of Columbia	180 days	Not specified in state policy	D.C. Code Ann. § 38-2901
Florida	180 days	Grades K-3: 720 hours Grades 4-12: 900 hours	Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1011.61 Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1001.42	May be measured in days or hours.
Georgia	180 days	Not specified in state policy	Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-168 Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 160-5-1-.02	Or equivalent. Up to 10 hours of parent-teacher conferences can count towards instructional time. Recess and lunch are not considered instructional time. Testing, counseling, and health screenings are considered instructional time.
Hawaii	180 days	Grade 1-12: 1,080 hours	Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 302A-251 2022-23 School Year	Excludes professional development and other non-instructional days. Does not apply to charter and multi-track schools. All times that students are on campus, including recess and lunch, count toward the 1,080 hour requirement.
Indiana	180 days	Not specified in state policy	Ind. Code Ann. § 20-30-2-3
Iowa	180 days	1,080 hours	Iowa Code Ann. § 279.10
Maine	180 days	Not specified in state policy	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 4801	May include 5 days for in service education of teachers, administrative meetings, parent-teacher conferences, records' days and similar activities. Seniors may be allowed up to graduate five days prior to the end of the regular school year.
Maryland	180 days	1,080 hours, 1,170 hours for public high schools	Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-103 Md. Code Regs. 13A.03.02.12	1,080 hours during a 10-month period in each school year. Maryland public high schools shall be open for at least 180 school days and a minimum of 1,170 school hours during a 10-month period in each school year.
Massachusetts	180 days	Kindergarten: 425 hours Grades 1-5: 900 hours Grades 6-12: 990 hours	603 Mass. Code Regs. 27.03 603 Mass. Code Regs. 27.04 603 Mass. Code Regs. 27.05 603 Mass. Code Regs. 27.07	Schools must schedule at least 185 days. Seniors may graduate up to 12 days early. Breakfast and lunch, passing between classes, homeroom, recess, non-directed study periods, school services, and optional school programs do not count towards instructional time.
Michigan	180 days	1,098 hours	Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 388.1701 Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.1284	Time during which there is no pupil instruction because of strikes or teachers' conferences shall not be counted as pupil instruction.
Mississippi	180 days	Not specified in state policy	Miss. Code. Ann. § 37-13-63
Nevada	180 days	Not specified in state policy	Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 388.090 Nev. Admin. Code 387.120	May include up to 5 days for teachers' conferences. Alternative schedules can be approved in certain circumstances so long as they provide equal to or greater than the number of minutes of instruction that would be provided on a 180 day schedule.
New Hampshire	180 days	Kindergarten: 450 hours Elementary schools: 945 hours Middle and High schools: 990 hours	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 189:1 N.H. Code Admin. R. § 18	May be measured in days or hours. High school seniors may graduate up to 5 days early. An additional 60 hours must be scheduled to provide for instructional time lost due to inclement weather or unexpected circumstances, staff development, and parent-teacher conferences. At least 30 of the 60 additional hours shall be available for rescheduling hours lost due to inclement weather or other emergencies.
New Jersey	180 days	Not specified in state policy	N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:7F-9
New York	180 days	Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours Full-day K-6: 900 hours Grades 7-12: 990 hours	N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 8, § 175.5
Oklahoma	180 days	1,080 hours	Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 1-109 Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 4516	May be measured in days or hours. Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, the minimum hours must be met within 165 days of instruction. A school district must not count more than 30 hours of professional development towards the hourly requirement.
Pennsylvania	180 days	Kindergarten: 450 hours Grades 1-6: 900 hours Grades 7-12: 990 hours	22 Pa. Code § 11.1 22 Pa. Code § 11.3 24 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 15-1501	Can meet days or hours with approval from the Secretary of Education.
Rhode Island	180 days	1,080 hours	200 R.I. Code R. 20-05-1.7 200 R.I. Code R. 20-05-1.8 200 R.I. Code R. 20-05-1.10 16 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-2-2	May be measured in days or hours. In case of an emergency, the school committee of any city or town with the approval of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education may reduce the number of school days to not less than one hundred seventy (170) days. High School Seniors shall have a minimum of 171 school days.
South Carolina	180 days	Not specified in state policy	S.C. Code Ann. § 59-1-425	School districts must designate 3 days for make-up days, 3 days for professional development, no more than 2 days for preparation of opening of schools, and up to 5 days for teacher planning and parent conferences.
Tennessee	180 days	Not specified in state policy	Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3004	Must also schedule 5 days for in-service and 1 day for teacher-parent conferences.
Utah	180 days	990 hours	Utah Admin. Code r. R277-419-5 Utah Admin. Code r. R277-419-8
Virginia	180 days	Kindergarten-12: 990 hours	Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-79.1 Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-98
West Virginia	180 days	Not specified in state policy	W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-5-45
Louisiana	177 days	63,720 minutes	La. Stat. Ann. § 17:154.1 28 La. Admin. Code Pt CXV, 333	Days or minutes. For comparison, the instructional minutes are equivalent to: 1,062 hours.
Vermont	175 days	Not specified in state policy	Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 1071
Wyoming	175 days	Kindergarten: 450 hours Elementary: 900 hours Middle School/Junior High: 950 hours High School: 1,000 hours	Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-4-301 Wyo. Admin. Code 206.0002.22 §3
Kentucky	170 days	1,062 hours	Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 158.070	Must also include 4 professional development days.
Minnesota	165 days (Grades 1-11)	Kindergarten: 425 hours All-day Kindergarten: 850 hours Grades 1-6: 935 hours Grades 7-12: 1,020 hours	Minn. Stat. Ann. § 120A.41
Colorado	160 days	Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours Full-day Kindergarten: 900 hours Grades 1-5: 990 hours Grades 6-12: 1,080 hours	Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-109	Required hours may include time for parent-teacher conferences, staff in-service programs, and closing due to health, safety, or welfare concerns.

An academic year or school year is the period of time that schools use to measure a quantity of time of study. A school year typically Instructional days refer to the amount of time students are expected to be in the classroom per year.

In the United States, school typically have winter breaks for the Christmas holidays and New Year’s Day and a week-long spring break taken in March or April. Additionally, the longest break of the year is summer break, which typically lasts about 12 weeks, starting anywhere from late May or late June to late August or after Labor Day in September. School year breaks have many effects on a county, such as increasing the price of travel and accommodations and a shift in crime rates.

School years in the United States typically range from 160 to 180 days depending on the state. This does not include holidays, such as Thanksgiving, breaks, or weekends. States that are subject to snowfall in the wintertime often factor in days on which the school might close due to inclement weather. Additionally, some districts have school in-service days for teachers to participate in and Teacher’s Day Off, which may be scheduled twice or three times throughout the school year.

Minimum Number of Days in a School Year by State

Every state has a set number of days and/or hours required for each school year. Below are each state’s minimum required days and hours from the Education Commission of the States. States that have both hours per year and days per year require both unless otherwise stated. Some states list only required hours and do not designate a minimum number of days of attendance. Exceptions to the required instructional times may not be specified in the list.

Alabama

180 days
1,080 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or minimum days per year.

Alaska

180 days
Grade K-3: 740 hours
Grade 4-12: 900 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum required hours per year or minimum days per year

Arizona

180 days
Half-day Kindergarten: 356 hours
Grades 1-3: 712 hours
Grades 4-6: 890 hours
Grades 7-8: 1000 hours
Grades 9-12: 720 hours
Hours exclude lunch and recess for grades K-8.
Students in grades 9-12 must enroll in at least 4 subjects.

Arkansas

178 days
Includes a minimum of 10 days (60 hours) professional development/in-service and a minimum of 2 days for parent/teacher conferences.

California

180 days
Kindergarten: 600 hours
Grades 1-3: 840 hours
Grades 4-8: 900 hours
Grades 9-12: 1,080 hours
Charter schools and select districts have 175 required days.
State specifics instructional time in minutes

Colorado

160 days
Half-day Kindergarten: 435 hours
Grades 1-3: 870 hours
Grades 4-8: 968 hours
Grades 9-12: 1,056
Excludes parent-teacher conferences and staff in-service programs.

Connecticut

180 days
Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours
Full-day K-12: 900 hours

Delaware

Grades K-11: 1,060 hours
Grade 12: 1,032 hours

District of Columbia

180 days

Florida

180 days
Grades K-3: 720 hours
Grades 4-12: 900 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or minimum days per year.

Georgia

180 days or equivalent

Hawaii

180 days
1,080 hours
Does not apply to charter or multi-track schools.
Days exclude professional development and other non-instructional days.

Idaho

District option for the number of required days
Kindergarten: 450 hours
Grades 1-3: 810 hours
Grades 4-8: 900 hours
Grades 9-12: 990 hours
Hour requirements include up to 22 hours for staff development but exclude recess, lunch, and passing periods.

Illinois

180 days
Includes up to 4 professional development days.

Indiana

180 days

Iowa:

180 days
1,080 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or minimum days per year.

Kansas

Grades K-11: 186 days
Grades 12: 181 days
Kindergarten: 465 hours
Grades 1-11: 1,116 hours
Grades 12: 1,086 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or minimum days per year.

Kentucky

170 days
1,062 hours
Districts have a 185-day calendar that includes 170 instructional days and 4 days for professional development.

Louisiana

177 days
1,062 hours
Louisiana specifies instructional time in minutes.
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or days per year.
Senior in grade 12 are allowed early dismissal for up to 10 instructional days.

Maine

175 days
Students in grade 12 may have their year reduced to 170 days.

Maryland

180 days
1,080 hours (1,170 for public high schools)

Massachusetts

Schools must operate at least 180 days/year but instructional time is measured in hours.
Kindergarten: 425 hours
Grades 1-5: 900 hours
Grades 6-12: 990 hours
Hours exclude lunch, recess, passing periods, homeroom, non-directed study periods, and time spent receiving school services or participating in optional school programs.

Michigan

180 days
1,098 hours

Minnesota

Grades 1-11: 165 days
Half-day Kindergarten: 425 hours
Full-day Kindergarten: 850 hours
Grades 1-6: 935 hours
Grades 7-12: 1,020 hours

Mississippi

180 days

Missouri

5-day week: 174 days
4-day week: 142 days
Kindergarten: 522 hours
Grades 1-12: 1,044 hours

Montana

Half-day Kindergarten: 360 hours
Full-day K-3: 720 hours
Grades 4-12: 1,080 hours
Graduating seniors: 1,050 hours
Includes an additional 3 days for instructional and professional development.

Nebraska

Kindergarten: 400 hours
Grades 1-8: 1,032 hours
Grades 9-12; 1,080 hours

Nevada

180 days
May includes up to 5 days for professional development with approval from the superintendent of public instruction.

New Hampshire

180 days
Kindergarten: 450 hours
Elementary schools: 945 hours
Middle and high schools: 990 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or days per year.
High school seniors may have their year reduced by up to 5 days or 30 hours.

New Jersey

180 days

New Mexico

Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours
Full-day K-6: 990 hours
Grades 7-12: 1,080 hours
33 hours of the full-day kindergarten program and 22 hours of grades 1-6 may be used for home visits by the teacher or parent-teacher conferences.
12 hours of grades 7-12 may be used to consult with parents or for parent-teacher conferences.

New York

180 days

North Carolina

185 days
1,025 hours
Districts have the option to meet either minimum hours per year or days per year.

North Dakota

175 days
In a 182-day calendar, 175 days are required for instruction, at least 2 must be used for professional development, and no more than 2 days may be used for parent-teacher conferences.
Any reconfigured school year must include at least 951.5 hours for grade K-8 and 1,038 hours for grades 9-12.

Ohio

District option for minimum days.
Half-day Kindergarten: 455 hours
Full-day K-6: 910 hours
Grades 7-12: 1,001 hours

Oklahoma

180 days
1,080 hours
Districts have the option to meet either the minimum hours per year or days per year.
Hours include up to 30 hours used for professional meetings and 6 hours per semester for parent-teacher conferences.

Oregon

Half-day Kindergarten: 450 hours
Full-day K-8: 900 hours
Grades 9-11: 990 hours
Grade 12: 966 hours
Hours include recess for grades K-3.
Hours include up to 30 hours used for professional meetings and 6 hours per semester for parent-teacher conferences.

Pennsylvania

180 days
Kindergarten: 450 hours
Grade 1-8: 900 hours
Grade 9-12: 990 hours
Districts have the option to meet either the minimum hours per year or days per year.

Rhode Island

180 days
1,080 hours
Districts have the option to meet either the minimum hours per year or days per year.

South Carolina

180 days
3 days must be used for professional development; no more than 2 days may be used for the preparation of opening schools; and 5 days must be used for teacher planning, academic plans, and parent conferences to total 190 days.

South Dakota

Minimum days is district option.
Kindergarten: 437.5 hours
Grades 1-5: 875 hours
Grades 6-12: 962.5 hours
Hours include intermission for grades 1-5 but exclude intermissions for grates 6-12.
School boards may release graduating seniors before the end of the school year.

Tennessee

180 days
Plus 5 days for in-service and 1 day for parent-teacher conferences.

Texas

1,260 hours.
Hours include intermissions and recesses.
The state specifies instructional time in minutes.

Utah

180 days
Kindergarten: 450 hours
Grade 1: 810 hours
Grades 1-12: 990
Day requirement includes parent-teacher conferences or college and career conferences for up to 16.5 hours or 3 full school days.