What Grade Is My Kid 2025–26

Per-age guide · 5 years old · 2025–26

What grade is a 5-year-old in?

A typical 5-year-old in the United States is in Kindergarten for the 2025–26 school year — if they were born before their state's kindergarten cutoff. If they were born after, they're typically one grade behind: Kindergarten.

Quick answer

The cohort split, visualized

The cohort split

How a single year of birthdays becomes two grades.

Every state draws a line on the calendar. Children born before the September 1 cutoff start school a year ahead of children born after.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
September 1 cutoff
Born before cutoffKindergartenStarted K on schedule. Now age 5.
Born after cutoffKindergartenStarted K a year later. Same age, one grade behind.

Calculate for your child

↓ Tap Calculate to see the grade
Most US states use a September 1 cutoff. Year-stamped for the 2025–26 school year.

5-year-olds by state — 2025–26

The same 5-year-old lands in different grades depending on which state they live in. Sortable.

Grade for a 5-year-old by state — 2025–26
StateCutoffTypical gradeNotes
AlabamaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
AlaskaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
ArizonaAugust 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 on or before August 31.
ArkansasAugust 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 1.
CaliforniaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
ColoradovariesKindergartenCutoff is set by individual school districts. Most use August or September.
ConnecticutJanuary 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by January 1 of the school year (Jan 1 falls mid-year).
DelawareAugust 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 31.
District of ColumbiaSeptember 30KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 30.
FloridaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
GeorgiaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
HawaiiJuly 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by July 31.
IdahoSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
IllinoisSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
IndianaAugust 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 1.
IowaSeptember 15KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 15.
KansasAugust 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 31.
KentuckyAugust 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 1 (some districts use earlier dates).
LouisianaSeptember 30KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 30.
MaineOctober 15KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by October 15.
MarylandSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
MassachusettsvariesKindergartenCutoff is set by individual school districts (LEA decision).
MichiganSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
MinnesotaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
MississippiSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
MissouriAugust 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 1.
MontanaSeptember 10KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 10.
NebraskaSeptember 30KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 30.
NevadaSeptember 30KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 30.
New HampshirevariesKindergartenNew Hampshire defers kindergarten age requirements to local school districts.
New JerseyvariesKindergartenNew Jersey defers kindergarten age requirements to local school districts (most use October 1).
New MexicoSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
New YorkDecember 1KindergartenDecember 1 statewide minimum; districts may set earlier dates.
North CarolinaAugust 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 31.
North DakotaJuly 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by July 31.
OhioAugust 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 1.
OklahomaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
OregonSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
PennsylvaniavariesKindergartenPennsylvania defers kindergarten age requirements to local school districts (most use September 1).
Rhode IslandSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
South CarolinaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
South DakotaSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
TennesseeAugust 15KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 15.
TexasSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must be 5 on or before September 1.
UtahSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
VermontvariesKindergartenVermont defers kindergarten age requirements to local school districts.
VirginiaSeptember 30KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 30.
WashingtonAugust 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 31.
West VirginiaAugust 31KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by August 31.
WisconsinSeptember 1KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 1.
WyomingSeptember 15KindergartenChildren must turn 5 by September 15.

Frequently asked

Can a 5-year-old skip a grade?
Grade-skipping is possible but rare; most US districts require formal academic assessment plus a social-emotional review. Talk to the school counselor before assuming.
What if my 5-year-old started kindergarten late?
If they were redshirted (held back a year before K), they'll be one grade behind their birth-year cohort. That's the second row of the answer above.
Is my 5-year-old considered "redshirted"?
Only if you intentionally delayed kindergarten. Children born after the cutoff who start K on schedule for their birthday aren't redshirted — they're on time for their state.

Sources

Education Commission of the States — Kindergarten Entrance Ages.
Individual state Departments of Education (linked from each state page).