State K-3 Policies
Does the state require the district to offer kindergarten and if so, full or half day? What exemptions exist for districts to offer kindergarten?
September 2020
At least 39 states plus the District of Columbia require districts to offer kindergarten either full or half day. At least 17 states plus the District of Columbia require full-day kindergarten, and 19 states require half-day kindergarten. Four states articulate that districts can offer full- or half-day kindergarten at the discretion of the board.
The following information was gathered from state statutes and regulations only.
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STATE
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Does the state require the district to offer kindergarten and if so, full or half day? What exemptions exist for districts to offer kindergarten?
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Source
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| Alabama | Yes - Full | Admin Code: 290-5-1-.01 |
| Alaska | No | |
| Arizona | Yes - Half | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-703 |
| Arkansas | Yes - Full | Code Ark. R. 005.15.2-11.0 |
| California | Yes - Half | Cal. Educ. Code § 46117 |
| Colorado | Yes - Full | Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-119.5 |
| Connecticut | Yes - Half | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-15 |
| Delaware | Yes - Full | Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 1049 |
| District of Columbia | Yes - Full | D.C. Code Ann. § 38-2807 |
| Florida | Not specified in statute or regulations. | |
| Georgia | Yes - Half | Ga. Code Ann., § 20-2-151 |
| Hawaii | Yes - Full | Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 302A-411 |
| Idaho | No | Idaho Code Ann. § 33.208 |
| Illinois | Yes - Half or Full | 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-20.19a |
| Indiana | Yes - Half or Full | 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/10-20.19a |
| Iowa | Yes - Half | Iowa Code Ann. § 280.3 |
| Kansas | Yes - Half | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-3216 |
| Kentucky | Yes - Half | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 158.100 Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann § 157.320 |
| Louisiana | Yes - Full | La. Stat. Ann. § 17:151.3 28 La. Admin. Code Pt LXXIX, 115 |
| Maine | Yes - Half | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 1001 Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 1258 |
| Maryland | Yes - Full |
Md. Code Ann., Educ. §7-101 (e)(1) Md. Code Regs. 13A.08.01.02 |
| Massachusetts | Yes - Half | 603 Mass. Code Regs. 8.01 et. seq |
| Michigan | No | |
| Minnesota | No | Minn. Stat. Ann. § 124D.02 |
| Mississippi | Yes - Full | Miss. Code. Ann. § 37-21-6 |
| Missouri | Yes - Half | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 160.051 Mo. Ann. Stat. § 160.041 |
| Montana | Yes - Half or Full | Mont. Code Ann. § 20-7-117 |
| Nebraska | Yes - Half | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 388.060 Nev. Admin. Code 387.131 |
| Nevada | Yes - Half |
Nev. Admin. Code 387.131 |
| New Hampshire | No | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 198:48-a |
| New Jersey | No. | N.J. Admin. Code §18A:44-2 |
| New Mexico | Yes - Half |
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-13-3 |
| New York | No | N.Y. Educ. Law § 1712 |
| North Carolina | Yes - Full | N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-47 N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-84.2 |
| North Dakota | Yes - Half | N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-22-01 N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-22-02 |
| Ohio | Yes - Half | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3321.05 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.48 |
| Oklahoma | Yes - Full | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 18-108 |
| Oregon | Yes - Half | Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 336.095 |
| Pennsylvania | No | 24 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 5-503 |
| Rhode Island | Yes - Full | 16 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-99-3 |
| South Carolina | Yes - Full | S.C. Code Ann. § 59-35-10 |
| South Dakota | Yes - Half | S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-2 S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-1 |
| Tennessee | Yes - Full | Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-201 |
| Texas | Yes - Half or Full (at the option of a school district's board of trustees) | Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 29.151 Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 29.152 |
| Utah | Yes - Half | Utah Code Ann. § 53G-7-203 Utah Admin. Code r. R277-419-4 Utah Code Ann. § 53F-2-102 |
| Vermont | Yes - Half | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 821 Vermont State Board of Education Manual of Rules and Practices |
| Virginia | Yes - Full | Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-199 8 Va. Admin. Code 20-131-150 |
| Washington | Yes - Full | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.150.315 |
| West Virginia | Yes - Full | W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-5-18 |
| Wisconsin | Yes - Half | Wis. Stat. Ann. § 121.02 |
| Wyoming | Yes - Half: school districts must establish and maintain relationships with a district that offers one full-day kindergarten. | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-3-110 |