Home States Texas State guide · Texas · 2026–27
What grade is my kid in Texas? Children must be 5 on or before September 1.
Calculate for your child The Texas rule in detail Kindergarten cutoff Turn 5 by September 1 Who sets it Set statewide Legal basis Tex. Educ. Code § 25.001 School required from Age 6 to age 19 Kindergarten mandatory? No — kindergarten is optional
How Texas compares 20 states use the same September 1 cutoff: Alabama , Alaska , California , Connecticut , Florida , Georgia , Idaho , Illinois , Maryland , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , New Mexico , Oklahoma , Oregon , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Utah and Wisconsin . 16 have an earlier cutoff and 8 have a later one, so a child born the same day can land a full grade apart depending on where they live.
28 states require school attendance to begin at age 6, Texas among them. 11 states and DC start compulsory schooling earlier.
Like most of the country, Texas does not mandate kindergarten — only 17 states and DC do.
Starting early in Texas Districts may admit a younger child early under the gifted-and-talented admission provisions of Tex. Educ. Code § 29.151.
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 Texas kindergarten cutoff? Children must be 5 on or before September 1.
Who sets the kindergarten cutoff in Texas? Texas sets one entrance date statewide, so it's the same in every district. The rule lives in Tex. Educ. Code § 25.001.
Can a child start kindergarten early in Texas? Districts may admit a younger child early under the gifted-and-talented admission provisions of Tex. Educ. Code § 29.151.
At what age is school required in Texas? In Texas, school attendance is compulsory from age 6 to age 19. Texas does not require kindergarten attendance; compulsory schooling starts at age 6.
Is kindergarten mandatory in Texas? No — kindergarten is optional in Texas. School attendance is compulsory from age 6 to age 19.
Grade by age in Texas — 2026–27 Grade by age in Texas — 2026–27 Age Typical grade Notes 4 Not in school yet Starts K in fall of the following school year. 5 Kindergarten 6 1st grade 7 2nd grade 8 3rd grade 9 4th grade 10 5th grade 11 6th grade 12 7th grade 13 8th grade 14 9th grade 15 10th grade 16 11th grade 17 12th grade
Source Legal basis: Tex. Educ. Code § 25.001. 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 ).
Texas Education Agency — verify cutoff with your local school district before relying on this page for enrollment.
