Introduction
Under the federal constitution, the U.S. Congress can only pass laws regarding matters specified in the constitution; power over education is not provided to the federal government. This means schools are primarily governed by state law, though local law may also apply, when not precluded by state law.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), thirty-eight states have laws specifying the number of required school days. Of the remaining twelve, five states delegate that power to another entity within the state, typically either the board of education or the local school board. The remaining states have no state law regarding the number of required school days.
The state with the most required school days is Kansas for grades 1–11, and the states with the next most required school days are Illinois and North Carolina. On the other hand, the states with the fewest required school days are Colorado and Kentucky.
Learn for yourself how the number of required school days differs by exploring the data in the charts.
| # | State | Required School Days | Required School Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | 186 | 5 |
| 2 | Illinois | 185 | 5 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 185 | |
| 4 | Alabama | 180 | 6 |
| 5 | Alaska | 180 | 5.5 |
| 6 | Arizona | 180 | |
| 7 | California | 180 | 4 |
| 8 | Connecticut | 180 | |
| 9 | District of Columbia | 180 | 5 |
| 10 | Florida | 180 | |
| 11 | Georgia | 180 | 5.5 |
| 12 | Hawaii | 180 | |
| 13 | Indiana | 180 | 6 |
| 14 | Iowa | 180 | 6 |
| 15 | Maine | 180 | 5 |
| 16 | Maryland | 180 | 3 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 180 | |
| 18 | Michigan | 180 | |
| 19 | Mississippi | 180 | 5.5 |
| 20 | Nevada | 180 | 5.5 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | 180 | |
| 22 | New Jersey | 180 | 4 |
| 23 | New York | 180 | 5.5 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 180 | 6 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 180 | 5.5 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | 180 | 6 |
| 27 | South Carolina | 180 | 6 |
| 28 | Tennessee | 180 | 6.5 |
| 29 | Utah | 180 | 4 |
| 30 | Virginia | 180 | 5.5 |
| 31 | Washington | 180 | |
| 32 | West Virginia | 180 | 5.8 |
| 33 | Louisiana | 177 | 6 |
| 34 | Vermont | 175 | |
| 35 | Wyoming | 175 | |
| 36 | Kentucky | 170 | 6 |
| 37 | Minnesota | 165 | |
| 38 | Colorado | 160 |
Required School Days by State
Alabama
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#4
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#3
Alaska
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#5
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#15
Arizona
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#6
California
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#7
Required School Hours
4
Ranked in the US
#26
Colorado
Required School Days
160
Ranked in the US
#38
Connecticut
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#8
District of Columbia
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#9
Required School Hours
5
Ranked in the US
#22
Florida
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#10
Georgia
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#11
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#16
Hawaii
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#12
Illinois
Required School Days
185
Ranked in the US
#2
Required School Hours
5
Ranked in the US
#23
Indiana
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#13
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#5
Iowa
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#14
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#6
Kansas
Required School Days
186
Ranked in the US
#1
Required School Hours
5
Ranked in the US
#24
Kentucky
Required School Days
170
Ranked in the US
#36
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#7
Louisiana
Required School Days
177
Ranked in the US
#33
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#8
Maine
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#15
Required School Hours
5
Ranked in the US
#25
Maryland
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#16
Required School Hours
3
Ranked in the US
#30
Massachusetts
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#17
Michigan
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#18
Minnesota
Required School Days
165
Ranked in the US
#37
Mississippi
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#19
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#17
Nevada
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#20
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#18
New Hampshire
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#21
New Jersey
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#22
Required School Hours
4
Ranked in the US
#27
New York
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#23
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#19
North Carolina
Required School Days
185
Ranked in the US
#3
Oklahoma
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#24
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#11
Pennsylvania
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#25
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#20
Rhode Island
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#26
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#12
South Carolina
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#27
Required School Hours
6
Ranked in the US
#13
Tennessee
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#28
Required School Hours
6.5
Ranked in the US
#2
Utah
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#29
Required School Hours
4
Ranked in the US
#28
Vermont
Required School Days
175
Ranked in the US
#34
Virginia
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#30
Required School Hours
5.5
Ranked in the US
#21
Washington
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#31
West Virginia
Required School Days
180
Ranked in the US
#32
Required School Hours
5.8
Ranked in the US
#14
Wyoming
Required School Days
175
Ranked in the US
#35