Grade Levels

Short answer: A US school year is usually 36 weeks of instruction — 180 school days divided by a 5-day […]

A 17-year-old is usually a 12th-grade senior, sometimes an 11th-grade junior. Plus the one federal work rule written specifically for 17-year-olds, and why leaving school at 16 in England does not end the obligation.

A 7-year-old is usually in 2nd grade, sometimes 1st. Plus why England’s Year 7 is not for 7-year-olds, and the two states where school is not compulsory yet at 7.

A 15-year-old is usually in 10th grade, sometimes 9th. Plus the five grades that accept a 15-year-old, and why 15 is the last age school is compulsory everywhere.

A 16-year-old in the US is usually in 11th grade, junior year, and sometimes still in 10th. Here is what decides which, plus the work and attendance rules that change at 16.

A 9-year-old in the US is usually in 4th grade, and sometimes still in 3rd. Here is what decides which, and why the third-grade boundary carries more legal weight than any other.

A 12-year-old in the US is usually in 7th grade, and often still in 6th. Here is what decides which, and why 12 is the age that straddles middle school.

A 10-year-old in the US is usually in 5th grade, and sometimes still in 4th. Here is what decides which, plus the age range states actually accept for each grade.

Every US school grade by age, from kindergarten to 12th grade, in one chart, plus the reverse age-to-grade lookup, cutoff rules, and what each grade is called.