School Age Calculator
Each U.S. state sets a date by which a child must turn 5 to start public-school kindergarten. Pick the state and school year, then enter the birth date. This checks age eligibility only — it is not an assessment of whether a child is ready for school.
Before you start
Method : State age-5 cut-off for the chosen school year, compared with the child's 5th birthday.
Checked : 4 states checked against official sources on 2026-10-05; the rest are marked unverified. Boundary tests for the day before, on and after the cut-off and for Connecticut's rule change.
Review : not reviewed by any state education agency or school district. Age eligibility only — not a readiness assessment.
Your entries stay in this browser tab; nothing is sent or stored.
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose the state and the school year (by the year it starts).
- Enter the child's birth date.
- Press Check eligibility.
Methodology & assumptions
Step 1 — rule for your selection: the state and school year pick a stored rule version (date, "on or before" vs "before", and the years it applies to). Connecticut, for example, used January 1 through 2023–24 and September 1 from 2024–25.
Step 2 — date arithmetic: the child is age-eligible if their 5th birthday falls on or before (or strictly before) that date. The first eligible school year is the earliest year that passes.
Worked examples
California, 2026–27 (on or before September 1, 2026): born August 31 or September 1, 2021 → eligible; born September 2, 2021 → first eligible 2027–28.
Arizona (unverified, "before" September 1): born August 31, 2021 → eligible 2026–27; born September 1, 2021 → not until 2027–28.
Connecticut: born January 1, 2019 → eligible in 2023–24 (old January 1 rule). Born September 2, 2019 → 2025–26, matching the state's notice ("turns 5 after September 1, 2024 → fall 2025").
Understanding your result
An "eligible" result means the state age rule appears to be met — not that the child must enrol, is ready, or that your district uses the same date.
Sources & further reading
- California Education Code §48000(a)(4)Fifth birthday on or before September 1 of the 2014–15 school year and each year after. Checked 2026-10-05.
- Connecticut Public Act 23-208 §1 and CT State Department of Education family notice (Feb 2024)From 2024–25: age 5 on or before September 1; previously on or before January 1 of the school year. Checked 2026-10-05.
- Florida Statutes §1003.21(1)(a)2Age 5 on or before September 1 of the school year. Checked 2026-10-05.
- Texas Education Code §29.151; TEA kindergarten FAQAt least five years of age on September 1 of the school year. Checked 2026-10-05.
- Education Commission of the States. State K-3 Policies: kindergarten entrance age (2020 compilation).Source for states marked unverified; not re-checked against current statutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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