At what age do kids start school?

Children normally begin school as early as 5 years old. However, depending on the state, the required age to begin formal education ranges from the ages of 5 to 8. There are also cases of children beginning school at 4 years old if a school district offers pre-kindergarten classes.

To begin school, children must be 5 years old by a specified date that varies according to state. Some states have the cut off date in September, while others are as late as January.

In some states, kindergarten attendance is not a requirement. Some parents or legal guardians opt out of placing children into school until the state mandated age for attendance.