State Kindergarten-Through-Third-Grade Policies
How many hours are required for grades K-3?
June 2018
This information was collected from state statutes, rules and regulations. A profile was sent to each state for review and modification, as needed.
| How many hours are required for grades K-3? | Citations | |
| Alabama | Approximately 1080 hours required per year, or, the same schedule as the elementary school in which the kindergarten program takes place. | Ala.Code 1975 § 16-13-231, AL ADC 290-5-1-.01 |
| Alaska | 740 hours per year for grades K-3 (~4 hours/day for grades 1-3). | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.03.030; Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.03.040 |
| Arizona | 356 hours per year for kindergarten. 712 hours per year for grades 1-3. | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-901 |
| Arkansas | 6 hours/day; 30 hours/week | A.C.A. § 6-16-102 |
| California | 600 hours per year for kindergarten (3 hours/day). 840 hours per year for grades 1-3 (3.83 hours/day) | Cal. Educ. Code § 46117; Cal. Educ. Code § 46112; Cal. Educ. Code § 46201 |
| Colorado | 435 hours for half-day kindergarten pupil. 870 hours for full-day kindergarten pupil. 968 hours for grades elementary grades. | Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-32-109 (II)(A) |
| Connecticut | 450 hours per year for half-day kindergarten, 900 hours per year for full-day kindergarten and grades 1-3 | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-16, Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-15 |
| Delaware | 1060 hours per year for grades K-3. | Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 1049 |
| District of Columbia | 6 hours per day minimum in grades 1-3. | D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 5-A, § 2100 |
| Florida | 720 hours per year in grades K-3. | Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1011.61 |
| Georgia | 4.5 hours per day for grades K-3. | Ga Comp. R. & Regs. 160-5-1-.02 |
| Hawaii | 1080 hours per year for elementary and secondary grades. | Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 302A-251 |
| Idaho | 450 hours per year for kindergarten. 810 hours per year for grades 1-3. | Idaho Code Ann. § 33-512 |
| Illinois | 2 hours per day for half-day kindergarten. 4 hours per day for full-day kindergarten and first grade. 5 hours per day for all other grades. |
105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/18-8.05 |
| Indiana | 5 hours per day for grades 1-6 | Ind. Code Ann. § 20-30-2-2 |
| Iowa | 1,080 hours per year in grades 1-12 (~6.5 hours/day or 30 hours/week). | I.C.A. § 279.10; I.C.A. § 256.7 |
| Kansas | 465 hours per year for kindergarten. 1,116 hours per year for grades 1-11. | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-3115 |
| Kentucky | 6 hours per day for all grades except kindergarten, which may be operated for less than 6 hours per day. | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 158.060 (West) |
| Louisiana | 6 hours per day for grades 1-12. (1062 hours/year) | La. Stat. Ann. § 17:154.1; 28 La. Admin. Code Pt CXV, 333 |
| Maine | 2.5 hours per day minimum for kindergarten. 5 hours per day average for all other grades. |
Code Me. R. tit. 05-071 Ch. 125, § 6.03; Code Me. R. tit. 05-071 Ch. 125, § 6.02 |
| Maryland | 1,080 hours per year for all grades except high school. | Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-103 |
| Massachusetts | 425 hours per year for kindergarten. For full-day kindergarten, school committees must ensure equal instructional time for all students. 900 hours per year for elementary school grades. |
603 Mass. Code Regs. 27.03; 603 Mass. Code Regs. 27.04 |
| Michigan | 1,098 hours per year for grades 1-12 and kindergarten if the school district offers full-day kindergarten. | Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 388.1701 |
| Minnesota | 425 hours per year for half-day kindergarten. 850 hours per year for full-day kindergarten. 935 hours per year for grades 1-6. |
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 120A.41 |
| Mississippi | 5.5 hours per day for all grades. | Miss. Code. Ann. § 37-13-67 |
| Missouri | 522 hours per year for kindergarten. 1,044 hours per year for all other grades. |
Mo. Ann. Stat. § 163.021 |
| Montana | 360 hours per year for half-day kindergarten. 720 hours per year for full-day kindergarten and grades 1-3. |
Mont. Code Ann. § 20-1-301 |
| Nebraska | 400 hours per year for half-day kindergarten.1,032 hours per year for elementary grades. | Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-212, Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-211 |
| Nevada | 2 hours per day for kindergarten. 4 hours per day for grades 1-2. 5 hours per day fro grade 3. |
Nev. Admin. Code 387.131 |
| New Hampshire | 450 hours per year for kindergarten. 945 hours per year for elementary grades. |
NH ADC 306.18 |
| New Jersey | 2.5 hours for full-day kindergarten. 4 hours for grades 1-12. | N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:32-8.3 |
| New Mexico | 2.5 hours per day or 450 per year. 5.5 hours per day or 990 hours per year for voluntary full-day kindergarten and grade 1-6. | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-2-8.1 |
| New York | 2.5 hours for half-day kindergarten. 5 hours for full-day kindergarten and grades 1 through 6. | N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 8, § 175.5 |
| North Carolina | 1,025 hour or 185 days for all students. | N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-84.2 |
| North Dakota | 2.75 hours for half-day kindergarten. 5.5 hours for full-day kindergarten and elementary students. | N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-22-02; N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-06-04 |
| Ohio | 455 hours per year for half-day kindergarten. 910 hours per year for full-day kindergarten and grade 1-6. | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.48; Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3321.05 |
| Oklahoma | 6 hours per day for K-3 grades (~1,080 hours/year). | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 18-108; Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 1-111 |
| Oregon | 450 hours of instruction per year for half-day kindergarten. 900 hours of instruction per year for full-day kindergarten through grade 8. | Or. Admin. R. 581-022-2320 |
| Pennsylvania | 450 hours per year for kindergarten (~2.5 hours/day). 900 hours of instruction per year for full-day kindergarten through grade 8 (~5 hours/day). | 22 Pa. Code § 11.1; 22 Pa. Code § 51.61 |
| Rhode Island | 5.5 hour per day for full-day kindergarten. 6 hours per day for grades 1 through 12. | 16 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-99-3; 16 R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-2-2 |
| South Carolina | 6 hours per day for kindergarten and elementary students. | S.C. Code Ann. § 59-1-425 |
| South Dakota | 437.5 hours per year for half-day kindergarten. 875 hours per year for grades 1-5. | S.D. Codified Laws § 13-26-1 |
| Tennessee | 4 hours per day for kindergarten. 6.5 hours per day for grades 1-12. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-201: Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3004 |
| Texas | 7 hours per day for full-day kindergarten and all other grades (1,260 hours/year). | Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 25.081; Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 29.0822 |
| Utah | 450 hours per year for kindergarten (2 hours/day). 810 hours per year for grade 1. 990 hours per year for grades 2-12. 4 hours per day grades 1-12. | Utah Admin. Code r. R277-419 |
| Vermont | 2 hours per day or 10 hours per week for kindergarten. 4 hours per day or 20 hours per week for grades 1 and 2. 5.5 hours per day or 27.5 hours per week for grades 3-8. | Vermont State Board of Education Manual of Rules and Practices 2311 |
| Virginia | 3 hours per day for kindergarten (~540 hours per year). 5.5 hours for grades 1 through 12 (~990 hours per year). | 8 Va. Admin. Code 20-131-150; VA Code Ann. § 22.1-79.1 |
| Washington | 1,000 hour per year for for grades K-8. 1,080 hours for grades 9-12. | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.150.220 |
| West Virginia | 5.25 hours per day forfor grades K-5. | W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-5-45; W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-5-18 |
| Wisconsin | 437 hours per year in Kindergarten. 1,050 hours per year for grades 1-6. | Wis. Stat. Ann. § 121.02(f) |
| Wyoming | 450 hours per year minimum in Kindergarten. 900 hours per year minimum in elementary grades. | Wyo. Admin. Code § EDU GEN Ch. 22 s 5; Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-2-304 |
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