Required School Days by State 2024

In the United States, children typically start school as kindergarteners and stay until they graduate high school. During each school year, all states must have required school days for public schools to allow teachers plenty of time to teach their students the required curriculum.

States with Required Days

Currently, 29 states and the District of Columbia have 180 school days throughout the school year. Some of these regions are also flexible with how to account for these days based on certain criteria decided by the board of education in each state. For example, 9 out of the 29 states and regions allow school districts to choose how they would like to operate the school year. They can operate the year either by meeting the minimum hours per school year or the 180 days. If the districts choose to meet the requirements based on the minimum hours, then the required hours could vary based on the amount of instructional time needed for each grade. Those states that have this choice are:

Seven states require schools to have between 170 and 178 school days in the school year. These states and their required days are:

Four states impose their own criteria for the number of required school days. The number can either fall above 180 days or below 170 days:

  • Colorado: 160 days
  • Kansas:
    • 186 days (Kindergarten-11th Grade)
    • 181 days (12th Grade)
  • Minnesota:
    • 165 days (Kindergarten-11th Grade)
  • Missouri:
    • 174 days (5-day weeks)
    • 142 days (4-day weeks)

States without Required Days

Other states run the school year based on the minimum number of instructional hours required by the district. These hours are set for each grade based on the amount of time the students need to completely cover the learning curriculum. Seven states have required school hours instead of required school days. Those states and their required hours are:

  • Delaware:
    • 1,060 hours (Kindergarten-11th Grade)
    • 1,032 hours (12th Grade)
  • Montana:
    • 360 hours (Half-Day Kindergarten)
    • 720 hours (Full-Day Kindergarten and 1st-3rd Grade)
    • 1,080 hours (4th-11th Grade)
    • 1,050 hours (12th Grade)
  • Nebraska:
    • 400 hours (Kindergarten)
    • 1,032 hours (1st-8th Grade)
    • 1,080 hours (9th-12th Grade)
  • New Mexico:
    • 450 hours (Half-Day Kindergarten)
    • 990 hours (Full-Day Kindergarten and 1st-6th Grade)
    • 1,080 hours (7th-12th Grade)
  • Oregon:
    • 450 hours (Half-Day Kindergarten)
    • 900 hours (Full-Day Kindergarten and 1st-8th Grade)
    • 990 hours (9th-11th Grade)
    • 966 hours (12th Grade)
  • Texas:
    • 1,260 hours (all grades)
  • Wisconsin:
    • 437 hours (Kindergarten)
    • 1,050 hours (1st-6th Grade)
    • 1,137 hours (7th-12th Grade)

Three states have neither required school days nor required school hours. Instead, the school district helps them decide how many days or hours each school must use for instructional time. What happens is the district decides what date that schools will start and end on. They then will determine the daily school hours accordingly. The only restriction is that they have to start school in August at the earliest and end school in June at the latest. These three states are:

Required School Days by State 2024

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

State
Minimum Number of Days
Minimum Hours or Minutes
State Code
Additional Details
Kansas186 days (Grades 1-11), | 181 days (Grade 12)Kindergarten: 465 hours, | Grades 1-11: 1,116 hours, | Grade 12: 1,086 hoursKan. Stat. Ann. § 72-3115 | School Year Requirement
Passing periods, organized recesses, activity periods, time between opening and closing bells can be...
Illinois185 daysNot specified in state policy105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-19
Designed to insure 176 days of student attendance.
North Carolina185 days1,025 hoursN.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-84.2
Days or hours.
Washington180 half-days (Kindergarten), | 180 days (Grades 1-12)Kindergarten: 450 hours, | Grades 1-8: 1,000 hours, | Grades 9-12: 1,080 hoursWash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.150.220
Alabama180 days1,080 hoursAla. Code § 16-13-231
Days or hours. | In extreme circumstances involving natural occurrences, health-related occurrences,...
Alaska180 daysGrades K-3: 740 hours, | Grades 4-12: 900 hoursAlaska Stat. Ann. § 14.03.030
Days or hours. | A day of in-service training of teachers can substitute for a day in session, up to...
Arizona180 daysGrades 1-3: 712 hours, | Grades 4-8: 890 hours, | Grades 9-12: 720 hoursAriz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-901 | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-341.01
Days or hours. | Instructional hour requirement includes lunch.
California180 daysKindergarten: 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
Instructional minutes are equivalent to: | Kindergarten: 600 hours | Grades 1-3: 840 hours | Grad...
Connecticut180 daysHalf-day Kindergarten: 450 hours, | Full-day K-12: 900 hoursConn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-16
District of Columbia180 daysNot specified in state policyD.C. Code Ann. § 38-2901
Florida180 daysGrades K-3: 720 hours, | Grades 4-12: 900 hours,Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1011.61 | Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1001.42
Days or hours.
Georgia180 daysNot specified in state policyGa. 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. ...
Hawaii180 daysGrade 1-12: 1,080 hoursHaw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 302A-251 | 2022-23 School Year
Excludes professional development and other non-instructional days. Does not apply to charter and mu...
Indiana180 daysNot specified in state policyInd. Code Ann. § 20-30-2-3
Iowa180 days1,080 hoursIowa Code Ann. § 279.10
Maine180 daysNot specified in state policyMe. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 4801
May include 5 days for in service education of teachers, administrative meetings, parent-teacher con...
Maryland180 days1,080 hours, | 1,170 hours for public high schoolsMd. 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 op...
Massachusetts180 daysKindergarten: 425 hours, | Grades 1-5: 900 hours, | Grades 6-12: 990 hours603 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 (expecting some to be canceled due to weather). | Seniors m...
Michigan180 days1,098 hoursMich. 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 no...
Mississippi180 daysNot specified in state policyMiss. Code. Ann. § 37-13-63
Nevada180 daysNot specified in state policyNev. 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 certa...
New Hampshire180 daysKindergarten: 450 hours, | Elementary schools: 945 hours, | Middle and High schools: 990 hoursN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 189:1 | N.H. Code Admin. R. § 18
Days or hours. | High school seniors may graduate up to 5 days early. | An additional 60 hours must ...
New Jersey180 daysNot specified in state policyN.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:7F-9
New York180 daysHalf-day Kindergarten: 450 hours, | Full-day K-6: 900 hours, | Grades 7-12: 990 hoursN.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 8, § 175.5
Oklahoma180 days1,080 hoursOkla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 1-109 | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 4516
Days or hours. | Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, the minimum hours must be met within 165 da...
Pennsylvania180 daysKindergarten: 450 hours, | Grades 1-6: 900 hours, | Grades 7-12: 990 hours22 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 Island180 days1,080 hours200 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
Days or hours. | In case of an emergency, the school committee of any city or town with the approval...
South Carolina180 daysNot specified in state policyS.C. Code Ann. § 59-1-425
School districts must designate 3 days for make-up days, 3 days for professional development, no mor...
Tennessee180 daysNot specified in state policyTenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3004
Must also schedule 5 days for in-service and 1 day for teacher-parent conferences.
Utah180 days990 hoursUtah Admin. Code r. R277-419-5 | Utah Admin. Code r. R277-419-8
Virginia180 daysKindergarten-12: 990 hoursVa. Code Ann. § 22.1-79.1 | Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-98
West Virginia180 daysNot specified in state policyW. Va. Code Ann. § 18-5-45
Louisiana177 days63,720 minutesLa. 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.
Vermont175 daysNot specified in state policyVt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 1071
Wyoming175 daysKindergarten: 450 hours, | Elementary: 900 hours, | Middle School/Junior High: 950 hours, | High School: 1,000 hoursWyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-4-301 | Wyo. Admin. Code 206.0002.22 §3
Kentucky170 days1,062 hoursKy. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 158.070
Must also include 4 professional development days.
Minnesota165 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
Colorado160 daysHalf-day Kindergarten: 450 hours, | Full-day Kindergarten: 900 hours, | Grades 1-5: 990 hours, | Grades 6-12: 1,080 hoursColo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-109
Required hours may include time for parent-teacher conferences, staff in-service programs, and closi...
IdahoVaries by districtKindergarten: 450 hours, | Grades 1-3: 810 hours, | Grades 4-8: 900 hours, | Grades 9-11: 990 hours, | Grade 12: 979 hoursIdaho Code Ann. § 33-512
Up to 22 hours for staff development activities. | Transportation to and from school, passing time ...
MontanaVaries by districtHalf-day Kindergarten: 360 hours, | Full-day K-3: 720 hours, | Grades 4-12: 1,080 hoursMont. 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 m...
ArkansasSet by Standards for Accreditation1,068 hoursArk. Code Ann. § 6-10-108 | Ark. Code Ann. § 6-10-106
ADE Rules Governing the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts
South DakotaSet by local school boardKindergarten: 437.5 hours, | Grades 1-5: 875 hours, | Grades 6-12: 962.5 hoursS.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. | Sch...
OhioSet by local board of educationKindergarten: 450 hours, | Full-day K-6: 910 hours, | Grades 7-12: 1,001 hoursOhio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.48
Up to 2 days equivalent may be used for parent-teacher conferences and reporting, and up to 2 days e...
DelawareNot specifiedGrades K-11: 1,060 hours, | Grade 12: 1,032 hoursDel. 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.
NebraskaNot specifiedKindergarten: 400 hours, | Grades 1-8: 1,032 hours, | Grades 9-12: 1,080Neb. 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...
New MexicoNot specifiedHalf-day Kindergarten: 450 hours, | Full-day K-6: 990 hours, | Grades 7-12: 1,080 hoursN.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-2-8.1
Excludes lunch. | Some hours may be used for home visits or for parent-teacher conferences, dependin...
North DakotaNot specifiedHalf-day Kindergarten: 481.25 hours, | Grades K-5: 962.5 hours, | Grades 6-12: 1,050 hoursN.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 instructi...
OregonNot specifiedHalf-day Kindergarten: 450 hours, | Grades K-8: 900 hours, | Grades 9-11: 990 hours, | Grade 12: 966 hoursOr. Admin. R. 581-022-2320
Recess may count towards instructional time for a certain number of hours through grade 3. | 30 hour...
TexasNot specified75,600 minutesTex. Educ. Code Ann. § 25.081
Includes time for instruction, intermission and recess.
WisconsinNot specifiedKindergarten: 437 hours, | Grades 1-6: 1,050 hours, | Grades 7-12: 1,137 hoursWis. Stat. Ann. § 121.02
Includes recess and passage time between classes but does not include the lunch period.
MissouriNo minimumKindergarten: 522 hours, | Other Grades: 1,044 hoursMo. Ann. Stat. § 171.031 | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 160.041 | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 163.021
showing: 51 rows

Required School Days by State 2024

Sources