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What grade is my child in? Grade calculator by birthdate and state
Updated · By Edulist · 4 sources
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How to use it
- Pick how to look it up
Choose Birthdate for an exact answer, Age to see the two grades a child that age is usually in, or Grade to see how old children in a grade are.
- Choose your state
Each state sets its own kindergarten cutoff, from before July 1 in West Virginia to December 1 in many New York districts. Leave it on 'Most states' to use September 1.
- Read the result and the chart
The result explains which fall your child could start kindergarten and their grade for 2026–27. The chart lists the birthdate range for every grade from preschool to 12th.
- Find the right materials
Use the links under the result to browse curriculum for that grade and check scholarships in your state.
How grade placement by age works
Every U.S. grade placement starts with one question: when could your child first start kindergarten? States answer it with a kindergarten cutoff date. A child must turn 5 on or before that date to start kindergarten in the fall. Miss it by a day and kindergarten waits a year.
From there it's simple counting. A child who started kindergarten in fall 2023 is in 3rd grade for 2026–27. That's why two children born a week apart can be a full grade apart, and why the same child could be in different grades in different states.
The calculator does that counting for you. It uses each state's cutoff, checked against state sources as of October 2026, and shows the birthdate range for every grade so you can see exactly where the lines fall.
Kindergarten cutoff dates by state
Most states use September 1. The rest spread across five months:
| Cutoff (age 5 by) | States |
|---|---|
| Before July 1 | West Virginia |
| July 31 | Hawaii, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota |
| August 1 | Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky |
| August 15 to 31 | Tennessee (Aug. 15); Arizona, Delaware, Kansas, North Carolina, Washington (Aug. 31) |
| September 1 | Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin |
| September 10 to 30 | Montana (Sept. 10); Iowa, Wyoming (Sept. 15); DC, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Virginia (Sept. 30) |
| October and later | Colorado (Oct. 1), Maine (Oct. 15) |
| Set by each district | Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont |
A few details trip families up. Connecticut moved its cutoff from January 1 to September 1 starting in 2024–25. Ohio districts may use August 1 instead of September 30, and some Missouri metro districts may choose a later date. Michigan lets parents of children who turn 5 between September 2 and December 1 choose early enrollment, and Nebraska districts can admit children who turn 5 between August 1 and October 15 after an assessment. In district-set states, call your district to confirm.
Age by grade at a glance
For a September 1 cutoff, children are usually this old during the 2026–27 school year:
- Kindergarten: 5 to 6
- 1st to 5th grade: 6 to 11 (how old are 3rd graders: 8 to 9)
- 6th grade: 11 to 12, the answer to "what age is 6th grade"
- 7th and 8th grade: 12 to 14
- 9th to 12th grade: 14 to 18, with most seniors turning 18 before graduation
A child of a given age is usually in one of two grades, depending on their birthday. For example, a 10-year-old is in 4th or 5th grade, and a 12-year-old is in 6th or 7th.
Why your child's grade might differ
The calculator gives the grade a child would usually be in. Real placement can differ for good reasons:
- Redshirting. Some families wait a year before kindergarten, often for summer birthdays.
- Early entry or acceleration. Some states and districts allow it after testing.
- Moves between states. Schools usually keep a child in the grade they've finished.
- Homeschool placement. In most states, homeschool parents choose the grade and can work above or below it in each subject. A few states tie testing or evaluations to specific grades, so check your state's homeschool laws before you decide.
Next steps once you know the grade
Knowing the grade is the start of planning, not the end. Browse homeschool curriculum by grade, estimate a year's costs with the homeschool cost calculator, and see whether a state program could pay for it with the K–12 scholarship finder. For high schoolers, the homeschool GPA calculator helps you start a transcript. Save programs you like to a wishlist so they're ready when you apply for funding.
Popular presets
- What grade is a 10 year old in?
- How old are 10th graders?
- What grade is an 11 year old in?
- How old are 11th graders?
- What grade is a 12 year old in?
- How old are seniors in high school?
- What grade is a 13 year old in?
- What grade is a 14 year old in?
- What grade is a 15 year old in?
- What grade is a 16 year old in?
- What grade is a 17 year old in?
- What grade is an 18 year old in?
- How old are 1st graders?
- How old are 2nd graders?
- What grade is a 3 year old in?
- How old are 3rd graders?
- What grade is a 4 year old in?
- How old are 4th graders?
- What grade is a 5 year old in?
- How old are 5th graders?
- What grade is a 6 year old in?
- How old are 6th graders?
- What grade is a 7 year old in?
- How old are 7th graders?
Sources
Questions
How do I know what grade my child should be in?
Find your state's kindergarten cutoff, then check whether your child turned 5 on or before that date. If so, the fall they turned 5 was their kindergarten year; if not, kindergarten started the next fall. Add one grade for each year since then.
What is the most common kindergarten cutoff date?
September 1. About 20 states use it, including Texas, Florida, California and Illinois. Others range from July 31 (Hawaii, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota) to October 15 (Maine), and a handful of states let each district decide.
Can my child skip a grade or start school early?
Some states and districts allow early kindergarten entry or grade acceleration after an assessment, and the rules vary widely. Ask your school district. Homeschool families in most states can place a child at whatever level fits, subject by subject.
What grade is my child in if we move to a state with a different cutoff?
Schools usually keep a transferring student in the grade they've completed rather than re-sorting by the new state's cutoff, but policies vary. Call the new district before you move, especially for kindergarten and 1st grade.
What is redshirting?
Redshirting means waiting an extra year to start kindergarten even though a child meets the cutoff. It's most common for children with birthdays just before the cutoff. A redshirted child will be about a year older than this calculator's result for their grade.