What Grade Is My Kid2026–27

State guide · District of Columbia · 2026–27

What grade is my kid in District of Columbia?

Children must turn 5 on or before September 30.

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Most US states use a September 1 cutoff. Year-stamped for the 2026–27 school year.

The District of Columbia rule in detail

Kindergarten cutoffTurn 5 by September 30
Who sets itSet statewide
Legal basisD.C. Code § 38-202
School required fromAge 5 to age 18
Kindergarten mandatory?Yes — attendance is required

How District of Columbia compares

2 states use the same September 30 cutoff. 39 have an earlier cutoff and 3 have a later one, so a child born the same day can land a full grade apart depending on where they live.

12 US jurisdictions require school attendance to begin at age 5, District of Columbia among them. That is as early as anywhere in the country requires it.

District of Columbia is one of 18 US jurisdictions that require kindergarten attendance outright; in most of the country it is optional.

Starting early in District of Columbia

D.C. law does not identify a general early-entrance waiver.

Early entrance is decided locally even where state law allows it, so ask your district office what evidence they expect and when the window closes.

Frequently asked

What's the District of Columbia kindergarten cutoff?
Children must turn 5 on or before September 30.
Who sets the kindergarten cutoff in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia sets one entrance date statewide, so it's the same in every district. The rule lives in D.C. Code § 38-202.
Can a child start kindergarten early in District of Columbia?
D.C. law does not identify a general early-entrance waiver.
At what age is school required in District of Columbia?
In District of Columbia, school attendance is compulsory from age 5 to age 18. District of Columbia is one of the states that require kindergarten attendance itself — not just that it be offered.

Grade by age in District of Columbia — 2026–27

Grade by age in District of Columbia — 2026–27
AgeTypical gradeNotes
4Not in school yetStarts K in fall of the following school year.
5Kindergarten
61st grade
72nd grade
83rd grade
94th grade
105th grade
116th grade
127th grade
138th grade
149th grade
1510th grade
1611th grade
1712th grade

Source

Legal basis: D.C. Code § 38-202. Cutoff, early-entrance and compulsory-age details cross-checked against the Education Commission of the States 50-State Comparisons (K-3 policies and compulsory school age).
DC Public Schools — verify cutoff with your local school district before relying on this page for enrollment.
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