Table 5.14. Number of instructional days and hours in the school year, by state: 2018
Minimum amount of instructional times
per school year (by grade, if applicable)
In days 1 In hours Minimum number of hours per
school day School start/finish
Alabama 180 2 1,080 6.0 (excludes lunch and recess) District option
Alaska 180 2 Grades kindergarten-3=740; grades 4-
12=900 3 Grades 1-3=4.0; grades 4-12=5.0
(excludes intermissions) District option
4 † District option
6.0 per day, 30.0 per week Start on or after the
Monday of the week in
which 8/19 falls; no
earlier than 8/14 and no
later than 8/26
State
Arizona
Half-day kindergarten=356; grades 1-
3=712; grades 4-6=890; grades 7-
8=1,000; grades 9-12=720 (excludes
lunch and recess for grades kindergarten-
8)
180
Arkansas 178 5 †
California 180 6 Kindergarten=600; grades 1-3=840;
grades 4-8=900; grades 9-12=1,080
7 Kindergarten=3.0; grades 1-3=3.8;
grades 4-12=4.0
8 †
7
District option
Colorado 160 Half-day kindergarten=435; full-day
kindergarten=870; grades 1-5=968;
grades 6-12=1,056 Connecticut 180 Half-day kindergarten=450; full-day
kindergarten=900; grades 1-12=900 † † Grades kindergarten-11=1,060; grade
12=1,032 3.5 (excludes lunch) District option
District of Columbia 180 † Grades 1-12=6.0 (includes lunch
and recess) District option (single
district)
Florida 180 Grades kindergarten-3=720; grades 4-
12=900 † District option
† Grades kindergarten-3=4.5; grades
4-5=5.0; grades 6-12=5.5 District option
† District option (single
district)
District option District option
† Half-day kindergarten=2.0; full-day
kindergarten-1=4.0; grades 2-
12=5.0 District option
† Grades 1-6=5.0; grades 7-12=6.0 District option
2 1,080 Grades 1-12=6.0 per day or 30.0
per week (excludes lunch, includes
passing periods) Start no sooner than
August 23 and no later
than the first Monday in
December
2 Kindergarten=465; grades 1-11=1,116;
grade 12=1,086 5.0 District option
1,062 6.0 District option
Delaware
Georgia
2
180 or
equivalent hours
District option
9
8,
Hawaii
Idaho
180
180
Indiana 180
Kansas
180
Grades
kindergarten-
11=186; grade
12=181
Kentucky 170
Louisiana 177
1,080
Kindergarten=450; grades 1-3=810;
grades 4-8=900; grades 9-12=990
(excludes recess, lunch, and passing
periods)
District option
Illinois
Iowa
10
5
11
10
5
2,
12
1,062
7
Grades 1-12=6.0 (excludes lunch,
recess, passing periods, and
5
7
District option
District option
1